TikTok To Sue Trump Administration Over Ban

TikTok is planning to sue the Trump administration, challenging the president’s executive order banning the service from the United States, reported NPR. 

The video-sharing app hugely popular with the smartphone generation will file the federal lawsuit as soon as Tuesday, August 11, according to a person who was directly involved in the forthcoming suit, but was not authorized to speak for the company. It will be filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California, where TikTok’s American operations are based, the person said.

NPR learned that the lawsuit will argue that President Trump’s far-reaching action is unconstitutional because it failed to give the company a chance to respond. It also alleges that the administration’s national security justification for the order is baseless, according to the source.

“It’s based on pure speculation and conjecture,” the source said. “The order has no findings of fact, just reiterates rhetoric about China that has been kicking around.” 

The White House declined to comment on the expected litigation, but defended the president’s executive order. “The Administration is committed to protecting the American people from all cyber related threats to critical infrastructure, public health and safety, and our economic and national security,” according to White House spokesman Judd Deere.

Full Content: NPR

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