Brian Firebaugh, the owner of 4F Ranch near Waco, Texas, has banded together with a group of seven other TikTok influencers to sue the federal government over a new law that would force the sale of the app or lead to its ban in the U.S.
The law, signed by President Joe Biden on April 24, gives TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, until Jan. 19, 2025, to sell the app visited by about 150 million U.S. users monthly. Driven by concerns from U.S. lawmakers that China could access data on Americans, or spy on them through the app, the four-year battle over TikTok is part of an ongoing conflict over the internet and technology between the U.S. and China.
The eight creators filed the lawsuit Tuesday, arguing that the law violates the users’ First Amendment rights to free speech. TikTok itself also filed a lawsuit last week.
“Although they come from different places, professions, walks of life, and political persuasions, they are united in their view that TikTok provides them a unique and irreplaceable means to express themselves and form community,” said the lawsuit.
Among the diverse content creators named in the lawsuit is Firebaugh, a Texas Marine Corps veteran who sells ranch products and is known as the “Cattle Guy” on Tiktok. Firebaugh says that until he started posting videos to the app in 2020, his business struggled to get off of the ground. He has since quit his full-time job, living off of income he has made off of TikTok.
@cattleguy @tiktok creators Stand Up to the Federal Government! TikTok Ban and our 1st Amendment Rights. @Chloe @Talia | Lists & DC Events @Tim @Kiera 🍓 @Loveandpebble @topherTownMusic @Btypep ♬ original sound – Cattle Guy 🐮
Now, he has over half a million followers. Together, the eight parties have millions of TikTok followers.
The lawsuit says the creators “rely on TikTok to express themselves, learn, advocate for causes, share opinions, create communities, and even make a living.”
Firebaugh, 44, says that’s true. The online community that he says he’s built with ranchers not only allowed him to participate in a Netflix reality show, but the funds from that show allowed him and his wife to afford to adopt their son.
@cattleguy On set in the Domicana Republic for the @Netflix show, The Trust. #cattleguy #thetrust #thetrustnetflix #netflix #tiktok #trend ♬ Boot Scootin Boogie Real Hypha Remix – RealHypha
“One hundred percent of our customers come from TikTok,” Firebaugh said. “For that to go away, you’re now stealing money out of my family’s mouths.”
Together, the creators are requesting that the court declare the law unconstitutional and issue an order preventing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland from enforcing it.