TikTok has been targeted by the Trump administration for national security concerns
The Chinese social media app TikTok has been targeted by the United States government over national security concerns. The US government believes the Chinese company can be used to spy on Americans, censor political speech and spread misinformation. Its app will be blocked from app stores for at least one year.
However, the company has been taking steps to reduce the risk to national security. It has decided to store user data in its own data centers in California, and it has backed up its servers in Singapore. It has also hired an American CEO to lead its U.S. operation. However, the American CEO of TikTok, Kevin Mayer, resigned as CEO of the company in late August 2020 to focus on other matters.
The US government is concerned that TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could share user data with the Chinese government. This data could be weaponized by China, which could create profiles of individual users and target them with misinformation campaigns. Despite the fact that TikTok has repeatedly denied conducting such campaigns, many users have expressed concerns about the potential consequences of such actions.
In December, the Pentagon warned the U.S. military against the use of TikTok on military-issued smartphones. This led many branches of the military to ban the app on their devices. This latest action does not appear to impact TikTok’s ability to provide services to U.S. citizens. However, it will likely make the company more vulnerable to being attacked by the Chinese government, as the U.S. government has been a target of the Chinese government in the past.
The recent action by the Trump administration against TikTok has come amid rising technology tensions between the United States and China. The action builds on previous U.S. actions against hardware companies, and reflects the desire for greater reciprocity in the U.S.-China relationship. However, the action against TikTok has raised concerns about its role in spreading misinformation.
The US government has also warned American users about TikTok and its relationship with Chinese authorities. However, TikTok denies giving out user information to the Chinese government, claiming that it stores data on servers in the US and Singapore. Additionally, the company has taken steps to separate its US operation from its Chinese parent.
It is a potentially rich source of personal data
TikTok is a Chinese social media platform that has garnered attention for its extensive collection of user data. The Chinese government has been known to steal data from social media companies, and TikTok users are no different. The Chinese-based company collects more personal data than any other social media platform.
However, the saga has led to skepticism about the company’s data security. Foreign governments have expressed concerns about how the company safeguards the data of its customers. Despite these concerns, the Chinese company has been working to gain international trust and has promised to introduce a new reporting mechanism to combat the misrepresentation of information. Furthermore, the company has received advice from independent auditors about its data protection practices. As a result, it has decided to launch a new app feature to let users report false or misleading information.
It has a data-sharing agreement with the Chinese government
TikTok has come under fire for its data collection practices, which include constantly asking for the user’s full contact list. The company denied these allegations, but some former employees told the FBI that the company was sharing data with the Chinese government. They said that the data could come back to haunt teenagers later.
TikTok’s internal debate over what speech is acceptable has prompted a debate about censorship. In June, an employee at the company suggested censoring a Financial Times article about an executive from the company speaking dismissively of maternity leave. Despite a veto over the idea of censorship, the company said it would never consider it. However, it did say that last year, it received requests from government authorities to remove 400 videos and accounts. While these requests didn’t come from China, the company has not yet determined whether they were legitimate.
TikTok has taken steps to reduce the risk associated with its Chinese data-sharing policy, including working with the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS), which vets international business deals. The company has also taken steps to cordon off user data in the United States. However, only a handful of TikTok employees have seen the draft agreement. A spokesperson for the Treasury Department said that the government is not in a rush to make any decisions, but it does have a commitment to protect national security.
TikTok’s executives argue that the Chinese government has no legal basis to access American user data. However, the Chinese government has a history of back-channeling surveillance requests. The company has faced lawsuits and federal prosecutors have even charged one of its executives with supplying government officials with data.
On June 27, 2018, TikTok responded to senators’ concerns over its data sharing policy. It said it was committed to storing user data in the United States, but that its parent company, ByteDance, is located in China. A leaked audio from internal meetings shows that TikTok’s Chinese employees have repeatedly access to US user data.
TikTok has offices in many countries, with its largest office in Los Angeles. However, whistleblower ex-employees have claimed that ByteDance was heavily involved in day-to-day operations of TikTok. In addition, many of the American employees worked for both companies, using the same email addresses.
It is negotiating a data-sharing agreement with Oracle
Chinese video-sharing platform Tiktok is in talks with Oracle Corp. over a potential acquisition. As part of the deal, Oracle would acquire a stake in TikTok’s newly formed US operation, serve as its technology partner and host its user data in the cloud. The deal is still subject to approval by President Donald Trump, and the Chinese government has signaled its reservations about the deal. Still, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin remains confident that Trump will sign the deal. Despite all the controversy and speculation surrounding TikTok’s potential sale, the deal remains very much alive. National security officials have voiced concerns about the possible sale, fearing that TikTok users’ data would be stored in Chinese company’s servers.
The terms of the deal are unclear, but they do include provisions ensuring that U.S. user data is protected and handled properly. The deal also includes a board of directors that consists of predominantly U.S. citizens and includes a former intelligence official or other national security expert. The board would also include a three-person committee to oversee security issues. The company did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The deal will need to be approved by the White House and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. In addition, the deal also involves Oracle overseeing the algorithms that TikTok uses to store and access user data. Oracle would also have full control of TikTok’s source code, and would be responsible for the company’s data.
The new deal with Oracle is not without controversy. The United States’ Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has expressed concerns over TikTok’s data security. The partnership with Oracle would require TikTok to transfer user data to the cloud and would require Oracle to provide national security assurances to US government agencies. If the deal is approved by CFIUS, TikTok could go public.
The TikTok executives said that they chose Oracle over other companies because of its technical expertise and experience with government contracts. Though the deal has yet to be finalized, it would send a strong message to regulators that TikTok takes data privacy seriously.