TikTok compares itself to foreign-owned American news outlets as it fights forced sale or ban

TikTok has pushed back on arguments that the popular social media platform is not shielded by the First Amendment. The U.S. Justice Department had said in a legal brief submitted last month that TikTok's owner, China-based ByteDance, as well as the platform's global and U.S. arms were not entitled to First Amendment protections. The argument was made in a case between the U.S. and TikTok over the federal law that could lead to a ban on the popular app. TikTok attorneys argued in a court document Thursday that the platform's U.S. arm doesn’t forfeit its constitutional rights because it is owned by a foreign entity. They drew a parallel between TikTok and well-known news outlets such as Politico and Business Insider, which are owned by a German publisher.