The US is increasing pressure on China-operated video platform TikTok. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Washington has given Chinese parent company Bytedance an ultimatum: Either Bytedance sells its shares in the app or TikTok will be banned from the US altogether. Beijing on Thursday asked Washington to stop its “unwarranted suppression” of the video app.
It’s about the possible misuse of user data. For months, there have been concerns in the US and other Western countries that the Chinese state could access TikTok user data via Bytedance. Experts have long warned that the app could be used by the Chinese Communist Party for spying or propaganda purposes.
TikTok: ban or unnecessary sale
According to the WSJ, the ultimatum was issued by the US authority CFIUS. This is responsible for risk assessment of foreign investments for national security.
TikTok confirmed the advancement of US authorities. A spokesman told the AFP news agency that a ban or sale is “unnecessary because neither option solves the industry’s biggest problems of data use and transfer”. The best way is a third-party verified “US-based transparent protection of US user data”.
Bill to ease prohibition
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said in Beijing on Thursday that Washington has yet to present any evidence “that TikTok threatens US national security.” The issue of data security must not be used “to abuse state power and unfairly oppress companies in other countries,” he added.
The White House did not initially comment on the reports. The US Senate last week introduced a bipartisan bill that would allow the US to “prevent certain foreign states from using technology services … in a way that violates Americans’ confidential information and threatens our national security.” Among other things, the Restrict Act gives the Secretary of Commerce new powers that would make it easier to ban the app.
TikTok popular with younger people
With over a billion users worldwide, TikTok is particularly popular with the younger generation. You can create short videos, an algorithm will suggest videos to watch. Recently, usage of the short video service has increased significantly in the US, including among older Internet users. More than 100 million people use the app there. TikTok has already surpassed other networks like YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in terms of time spent on them.
TikTok ban on US federal agency devices
In late February, the White House ordered the app removed from all US federal agency devices. The EU Commission and several other governments have also made similar decisions for their employees’ mobile phones.
Dealing with China is one of the few issues on which US Republicans and Democrats agree. The flyby of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over several secret US nuclear weapons storage facilities in January and February has raised concerns among US officials. An American fighter shot down the white balloon over the Atlantic on February 4.
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