The Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is battling a potential U.S. ban with the signature tools of American democracy — lawyers, lobbyists and money.
TikTok has deployed Washington power brokers and $1,500-an-hour attorneys to fend off a new law barring the app unless its Beijing-based parent, ByteDance, divests. With a $4.8 million ad campaign, a full-court press on Capitol Hill and the U.S. Constitution, TikTok is in a multifront fight for its survival.
"They’re out in full force,” said Joel Thayer, a Republican lawyer who helped push the legislation, arguing the company’s data collection and ties to the Chinese government make it a national security threat. "It’s end-of-life for them. It’s a very well-orchestrated play.”