The U.S. government has told China-based ByteDance to sell its shares in the blockbuster TikTok app or face a national ban, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
Western powers, including the European Union and the United States, have been taking an increasingly tough approach to the app, citing fears user data could be used or abused by Chinese officials.
Concern here ramped up earlier this year after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down in U.S. airspace.
The White House last week welcomed a bill that would allow President Joe Biden to ban TikTok, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
A bipartisan bill "would empower the United States government to prevent certain foreign governments from exploiting technology services... in a way that poses risks to Americans' sensitive data and our national security," Sullivan said.
The Senate bill and the backing of the White House accelerated the political momentum against TikTok, which is also the target of a separate piece of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Appearing tough on China is one of the rare issues with potential for bipartisan support in both the Republican-run House and the Senate, where Biden's Democratic Party holds a majority.
TikTok claims it has more than a billion users worldwide including over 100 million in the U.S., where it has become a cultural force, especially for young people.
Activists argue a ban would be an attack on free speech, and stifle the export of American culture and values to TikTok users around the world.
U.S. government workers in January were banned from installing TikTok on their devices.
Civil servants in the European Union, as well as in Canada are also barred from having TikTok on their phones.
According to the Journal report, the ultimatum to TikTok came from the U.S. agency charged with assessing risks foreign investments represent to national security.
U.S. officials as well as TikTok declined to comment on the report.
TikTok has consistently denied sharing data with Chinese officials, and says it has been working with the U.S. for nearly two years to address national security concerns.
Time spent by users on TikTok has surpassed that spent on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and is closing in on streaming television titan Netflix, according to market tracker Insider Intelligence.
© 2023 AFP
14 Comments
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sakurasuki
US just become over regulating private entities, socialist is coming to US.
Peter Neil
Yes, I’m sure China will use videos of people dancing for some nefarious purpose. :)
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were and are losing massive advertising dollars to TikTok. That’s one of the real reason. But they’ve done a great job of gaslighting and schmoozing Congress.
The other is that Google, Facebook, Instagram are probably more evil about selling and sharing data, but they cooperate more in tracking people in concert with the US government.
Desert Tortoise
The brief answer is that the CCP can collect and aggregate user data much of which is highly personal and sensitive (iris scans and other biometric data on individuals) without the users consent or knowledge and the app engages in censorship.
Here is the longer more detailed answer.
https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/blog/why-tiktok-is-the-latest-security-threat
Peter Neil
It’s interesting to note that TikTok is used differently in China. Children cannot access at night and the content is less stupid crap and more about learning, math, science and stories of success.
Is it the players or the game?
Peter Neil
The US spies on journalists too.
USNinJapan2
Sakurasaki
Go read the Tiktok user agreement. Crazy level of information and access to your data/files is granted when you use that app.
wallace
People should not use dodgy apps. Ever even opened TikTok.
Yrral
Biden support would drop ,below 15 percent,if he ban Tik Tok
lostrune2
China has banned little Pokemon Go due to its GPS capabilities
People can't play Pokemon Go in China, even though it's just a silly game
TikTok is not available AT ALL in China! Instead it's a separate China-only version Douyin
That's because a lot of content in TikTok would have to be censored in China
But then, it wouldn't be TikTok if it's not the same content. With these social media things, it's all about content. Do ya think TikTok would be even as popular as it is now if it's all just "learning, math, science and stories of success"?
If it's all just "learning, math, science and stories of success," TikTok wouldn't be popular, and there wouldn't even be any worry about banning TikTok in the West since hardly anybody would be using it
GBR48
McCarthyism 2.0. As idiotic as it was the first time around. History will not smile on these idiots. Not all bad: an entire generation of youngsters will hate their politicians - both Republican and Democrat - as dictators and censors. That bodes well for the future of the US a few decades down the line, when they can walk away from this sort of authoritarianism.
Desert Tortoise
It is not McCarthyism. Did you read the link I posted above? Here it is again. Every device you use TikTok from is now linked to the CCP in China from which they can access the contents of that computer and any associated data bases. Think about that. If you work for a large corporation using TikTok can give Chinese spooks access to your employers data. A good many people work for employers the Chinese would dearly love to get into the data bases of and TikTok can be a gift from heaven in that regard. It can even take an iris scan of your eye while you use it (since the terms of service require the camera to be activated) without you ever knowing. It is highly invasive.
https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/blog/why-tiktok-is-the-latest-security-threat
Strangerland
We banned TikTok on all work devices back when Trump started discussing it.
starpunk
I haven't either and have no desire for it. I don't want CCP propaganda and trolling. That's how Russian trolls acted to overthrow the US government in 2016 and install Spanky Don in the WH. America needs to stand up against these foreign cyberpunk hoodlums.