TikTok General Counsel to Depart, Focuses on Legal Battle Against US Ban
TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, announced this week that it intends to file a lawsuit to challenge recently signed legislation that requires ByteDance to divest TikTok in the United States within 270 days or face a ban.
Erich Andersen, the current general counsel for both TikTok and ByteDance, will be stepping down from his role in June to focus solely on this legal effort.
Andersen will not be leaving the company entirely, however.
He will instead become a special counsel to help lead TikTok's legal team in their fight against the new law.
The legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, and TikTok had previously announced its intention to file a lawsuit to challenge it.
The exact timing of when TikTok plans to file the lawsuit has not been disclosed.
The new law was passed in response to concerns over the potential security risks posed by the app's Chinese ownership.
TikTok has repeatedly denied these allegations, stating that the data of its American users is stored in the United States and is not subject to Chinese law.
Despite these denials, the legislation was passed with bipartisan support, and the clock is now ticking for TikTok to find a buyer or face a potential ban in the United States.
Andersen's new role will be focused on helping TikTok navigate this legal challenge and find a way to continue operating in the country.
Andersen will not be leaving the company entirely, however.
He will instead become a special counsel to help lead TikTok's legal team in their fight against the new law.
The legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, and TikTok had previously announced its intention to file a lawsuit to challenge it.
The exact timing of when TikTok plans to file the lawsuit has not been disclosed.
The new law was passed in response to concerns over the potential security risks posed by the app's Chinese ownership.
TikTok has repeatedly denied these allegations, stating that the data of its American users is stored in the United States and is not subject to Chinese law.
Despite these denials, the legislation was passed with bipartisan support, and the clock is now ticking for TikTok to find a buyer or face a potential ban in the United States.
Andersen's new role will be focused on helping TikTok navigate this legal challenge and find a way to continue operating in the country.
Translation:
Translated by AI
