Official announcements from ByteDance and major news outlets

DOJ Accuses TikTok of Sharing Sensitive User Data with China, U.S. Ban Looms by January 19

Jul 27, 2024, 05:15 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused TikTok of collecting and sharing sensitive user data with its China-based parent company, ByteDance. According to court filings, TikTok gathered information on American users' views on divisive topics such as gun control, abortion, and religion. The DOJ argues that this data collection poses a national security threat and has requested that the court reject TikTok's challenge to a law mandating the sale or ban of the app. The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, requires ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. assets by January 19. TikTok has denied the allegations, asserting that the ban would violate the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users. The DOJ maintains that the collection and potential manipulation of user data by a foreign power is not protected under the First Amendment.