India's action on TikTok could influence US litigation: FCC chief
India's action against TikTok might influence US courts, as ByteDance is expected to challenge the US move to ban its video-streaming service. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr has stated this to The Economic Times. On April 24, President Joe Biden signed a bill that could ban TikTok in the US if its owner, ByteDance, doesn't divest the popular short video app within the next nine months to a year. Despite this, ByteDance is not considering selling TikTok.
TikTok CEO upholds rights amid legal crossroads
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew believes the facts and the US Constitution are on their side. The First Amendment in the US Constitution safeguards the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and the ability to petition the government for a redress of grievances. However, Carr thinks that the First Amendment argument won't work in ByteDance's favor if the case reaches American courts, saying, "India's action on TikTok could very well play a role in the litigation in the US."
TikTok is a perceived threat beyond borders
Carr also mentioned that TikTok may argue that this is a unique US obsession with China to foresee threats that don't exist. However, he added that India, a neighboring country to China, has perceived a similar threat from the app and taken similar action. This could be potentially relevant in court filings and demonstrate that concerns about TikTok aren't just a unique feature of America's viewpoint on China.
