US Edition
Here Are the Letters that Let Apple and Google Ignore the TikTok Ban
- On Thursday, the US Department of Justice made public several letters indicating that major tech firms such as Apple and Google are not being held responsible for continuing to provide services to TikTok, despite the existing federal restrictions.
- The letters followed a lawsuit filed last month by Tony Tan against Alphabet for allegedly withholding information on distributing TikTok amid a national security law passed last year.
- These communications, initially sent beginning January 30 and with follow-ups in March and April, assured companies they may continue services without penalty while outlining Trump’s extensions delaying enforcement.
- Acting Attorney General James McHenry stated Google “has incurred no liability” and can provide TikTok services legally, while Bondi said the Department irrevocably relinquishes claims during the covered period.
- This indicates ongoing negotiations and government tolerance of TikTok operations in the US despite the ban, though the app’s ultimate fate remains uncertain due to legal and political challenges.
10 Articles
10 Articles
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Here are the letters that let Apple and Google ignore the TikTok ban
More than six months after TikTok was briefly banned, we still don't know exactly what its fate in the US will be. But we do have new insight into the legal wrangling that has allowed Apple, Google and other platforms to continue to support the app. If you remember, TikTok was only "banned" for a matter of hours shortly before President Donald Trump took office in January and delayed enforcement of the law. The app's service was promptly restore…
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US attorney general Pam Bondi has told at least 10 tech companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, that they have “incurred no liability” for supporting TikTok despite the federal ban on providing services to the popular video-sharing app, according to letters disclosed on Thursday. Under orders from President Donald Trump, Bondi has refused to enforce a law passed by Congress last year that classifies TikTok as a national securi…
Here are the letters that convinced Google and Apple to keep TikTok online
A Freedom of Information Act request has produced letters that the US Department of Justice sent to Google, Apple, Amazon, and several other companies in order to assuage their concerns about breaking a law that banned US web services from working with TikTok. The documents — obtained by Zhaocheng Anthony Tan, a Google shareholder who sued for their release earlier this year — show Attorney General Pam Bondi and her predecessor Acting Attorney G…
DOJ lack of TikTok ban enforcement appears to be due to broad Article II interpretation
A FOIA request revealed the letters sent to Apple and big tech over the TikTok ban, and they claim the law wouldn't be enforced due to it interfering with the President's management of foreign affairs. Lack of TikTok ban enforcement due to Article II interpretation TikTok was banned originally due to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act that was signed into law under the Biden administration, though it was …
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