This episode discusses the upcoming Supreme Court oral arguments regarding the TikTok ban legislation, scheduled for January 10th, 2025. The legislation, which was rapidly passed through Congress in just eight days, requires ByteDance (TikTok's Chinese parent company) to divest its ownership of TikTok's U.S. operations or face a ban. Hawk analyzed the government's legal brief, which argues that the legislation addresses national security concerns about Chinese government control rather than content regulation, though Hawk notes that the government's brief lacks concrete evidence of actual harm.
Hawk expresses skepticism about the government's stated motivations, suggesting that the legislation was influenced by pro-Israel lobbying groups who were concerned about Palestinian content from Gaza being shared on TikTok. He emphasizes that TikTok is used by approximately 170 million Americans (about half the U.S. population) and argues that banning the platform would have significant economic and social consequences for its users.
TikTok's legal brief argues that the legislation violates First Amendment protections, pointing out that the law specifically targets one content platform while exempting others with similar foreign connections. Their brief challenges the government's position by highlighting that TikTok is a U.S. company and arguing that the law should be subject to strict scrutiny since it effectively regulates speech and content rather than just foreign conduct. Hawk suggests that TikTok's brief makes stronger legal arguments by focusing on practical First Amendment implications rather than relying on speculative security concerns.
SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK
- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk
- Support Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com
- Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole
- Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social
- Connect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts
ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO
- Additional Podcasts Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.com
- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:
- Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfy
- Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuL
- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts
- iHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdP
- Pandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB
- Simplecast: https://hawk-droppings.simplecast.com
- Hawk Podcasts RSS Feed: https://feeds.simplecast.com/pPVtxSNJ
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.