A group of college professors in Texas has filed a lawsuit against the state for banning the use of TikTok on state devices and networks. The professors argue that this prohibition hinders their research and teaching activities, particularly in areas related to TikTok, such as studying disinformation and data-collection practices. They claim that the ban makes it nearly impossible for them to use TikTok in their classrooms or to incorporate TikTok content into their lessons.
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University has filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Coalition for Independent Technology Research, an advocacy group for academic research. The defendants in the lawsuit include Governor Greg Abbott and 14 other state and public education officials. The complaint contends that government control over the research and teaching activities of faculty members violates their First Amendment rights.
One example cited in the lawsuit is Jacqueline Vickery, an Associate Professor in the Department of Media Arts at the University of North Texas. Vickery specializes in studying how young people use social media for expression and political organizing. The ban on TikTok has forced her to suspend research projects, alter her teaching methodology, and eliminate course materials. It has also hindered her ability to respond to student questions and review the work of other researchers.
The lawsuit argues that although faculty at public universities are public employees, they are still protected by the First Amendment from government control over their research and teaching. The suit asserts that imposing broad restraints on faculty’s research and teaching is not a constitutionally permissible way to protect Texans’ “way of life” or address the threat of disinformation. The lawsuit also criticizes the double standard of claiming to care about Texans’ privacy while allowing American companies like Meta, Google, and Twitter to collect similar data as TikTok.
Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute, emphasized that the ban is stifling research on the very concerns raised by Governor Abbott, such as disinformation and data collection. Jaffer believes there are alternative ways to address these concerns without infringing on the First Amendment rights of faculty and researchers. He argues that it is essential for them to continue studying TikTok, which has become a popular and influential communications platform.
This is the third lawsuit this year challenging state bans on TikTok. Two lawsuits in Montana, funded by the Chinese social media company, have claimed that the bans violate free speech rights. It is worth noting that TikTok is not directly involved in the Texas lawsuit.
In conclusion, a group of college professors in Texas has filed a lawsuit against the state for prohibiting the use of TikTok on state devices and networks. They argue that the ban hampers their research and teaching activities and violates their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit raises concerns about the impact on faculty members’ ability to study and teach about TikTok-related topics, while also criticizing the double standard in data collection practices. This lawsuit is part of a wider legal battle over TikTok bans, with previous cases filed in Montana.
