Jul 30, 2020 - Economy

TikTok sued for patent infringement

Kia Kokalitcheva

Photo Illustration: Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Triller, a short-video making app, sued rival TikTok for allegedly infringing on some of its patents.

Why it matters: This is the latest in a series of problems for TikTok, which is battling government and corporate critics of its ties to China. It's also the latest in the intellectual property wars among apps, following the dispute between Eko and Quibi.

Meanwhile: Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked the Justice Department Thursday to open investigations into both TikTok and video conferencing firm Zoom.

They want DOJ to probe "reported violations of Americans’ civil liberties by Zoom and TikTok and the national security implications of both companies’ relationships with the People’s Republic of China."
TikTok's parent company ByteDance is based in China. Zoom drew controversy last month after shuttering the account of a group of U.S.-based Chinese activists at Beijing's request.

Go deeper: Triller waits in the wings

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TikTok sued for patent infringement

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