Free Speech Archives

TikTok Lets US Android Users Download App from Its Website Amid Ban TikTok has announced that U.S. Android users can now download its app directly from its website using package kits. This move helps the company work around restrictions that have kept the app off Google and Apple stores. The U.S. law, which took effect on January 19, requires TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either sell the app or face a ban due to national security concerns. Since then, both Apple and Google have not restored TikTok to their app stores. After taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump signed an order delaying the law’s enforcement by 75 days. He also mentioned that discussions were ongoing with several parties about TikTok’s potential sale. A decision on the app’s future is expected t...

TikTok may soon be banned in the U.S. after a panel of federal judges upheld a new law that could force the app’s shutdown by mid-January. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s request to block the law, which requires its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner by January 19. If this doesn’t happen, TikTok faces a U.S. ban. ByteDance has said selling the app is impossible due to restrictions from the Chinese government. The judges disagreed with TikTok’s claims that the law unfairly targets the app and violates the First Amendment. They stated the law is focused on addressing risks from foreign control and protecting American users’ data from potential misuse by adversaries like China. Lawmakers and intelli...

Tag: Free Speech

TikTok Enables Direct Android Downloads in US