TikTok asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit May 7 to overturn a recently enacted law that will ban the popular social media application in the United States if China’s ByteDance doesn't sell the app to an entity that isn’t controlled by a foreign adversary.
Social Media
Social media platforms are facing intense scrutiny over how they collect, share and monetize user data. As new state and federal laws focus on age verification, parental controls and transparency requirements, social media companies face legal risks around algorithmic targeting, third-party tracking and children's safety. This page follows key legislation, investigations and lawsuits shaping privacy practices for major social platforms.
Turkey has suspended trade with Israel because of the country’s ongoing military action in Gaza, Turkey’s trade ministry announced last week, according to an unofficial translation. It said it has “decided to move to a new phase in economic relations with Israel,” including restrictions on exports and imports, until Israel reaches a “permanent ceasefire” with Hamas and allows “uninterrupted access of aid” to Gaza.
President Joe Biden signed into law April 24 a wide-ranging national security bill that will, among other things, ban TikTok in the U.S. if China’s ByteDance doesn't sell the popular social media application to an entity that isn’t controlled by a foreign adversary (see 2404220041 and 2404180020).
The Senate on April 23 plans to begin considering a House-passed bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. unless China’s ByteDance divests the popular social media application (see 2404180020).
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., announced late April 17 that she supports a newly modified House proposal that would ban TikTok in the U.S. unless China’s ByteDance divested the popular social media application.
The U.S. has no plans to remove sanctions from Iranian technology company ArvanCloud (see 2306020020) after it was delisted by the EU earlier this month, a State Department spokesperson said.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said April 8 that Congress should require China’s ByteDance to divest TikTok because the popular social media application is "beholden to our foremost strategic competitor."
When the Senate returns from its two-week recess on April 8, it will have an opportunity to “work on a path forward on TikTok legislation” in addition to addressing a host of other matters, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said April 5 in a “Dear Colleague” letter.
The U.S. sanctioned two Russian companies and their leaders for helping the country’s government carry out a “foreign malign influence campaign,” including by impersonating government organizations and European media outlets.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the U.S. House of Representatives’ March 13 passage of a bill to require China’s ByteDance to divest itself of social media application TikTok (see 2403130051), saying the vote falls on the “wrong side of the principles of fair competition and international trade rules.”