Home » US Business & Employment News » Academics sue Texas over TikTok ban
Academics sue Texas over TikTok ban
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/usa/academics-sue-texas-over-tiktok-ban
First Amendment lawyers have challenged the TikTok ban on devices and networks in Texas, saying the law violated the Constitution by limiting public university research and teaching.
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University has filed the suit on behalf of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research, which studies technology’s impact on society.
The complaint says Texas professors experienced setbacks in their work after losing access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi and university computers.
Read More: TikTok creators challenge Montana ban citing free speech violations
This legal action sheds light on the real-world consequences of TikTok bans and the increasing legal resistance accompanying such measures.
The Knight Institute says universities in over 20 states have banned TikTok, citing national security concerns related to its ownership by Chinese company ByteDance.
The Institute, a pro bono organization focused on free speech cases, aims to exempt university faculty from these bans in Texas and other states.
They argue that academic freedom, recognized as a special concern of the First Amendment by the Supreme Court, should be upheld.
Read More: Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signs ban on Tiktok
The institute notes the importance of researchers being able to study TikTok's influence on public discourse and society at large, given its widespread usage.
Representatives for Governor Greg Abbott, who announced the TikTok ban in December, have not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The legal action highlights the experiences of Jacqueline Vickery, an associate professor at the University of North Texas, whose research and teaching have been greatly affected by the ban.
Previously, Vickery was able to analyze TikTok videos for her work on digital and social media usage among young people.
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
However, she can no longer access the app on university-owned devices or networks, including her personal cell phone.
She said: “This isn’t just an app that young people use for fun, but there is a whole lot of research happening with and through the site as well as a whole lot of teaching.”
Vicker is part of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research which includes a group of academics, civil society researchers, and journalists.
Similar concerns regarding free speech rights have emerged in two lawsuits in Montana, both funded by TikTok.
The state has enacted a first-of-its-kind state ban on TikTok, set to take effect on January 1st.
Follow us on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
