Three US states have banned government employees from using TikTok at work and Indiana authorities have filed two lawsuits against the Chinese company, accusing it of collecting personal data from users and maliciously influencing children, reports ABC News. Amid calls to block the platform, TikTok representatives have been in talks with the US government since last month, insisting that the company does not pose a threat to national security, the story highlights.
This morning is no time for fun, games and dance videos – TikTok has once again come under fire over security concerns and the issue of child protection. The Indiana Attorney General has announced two lawsuits filed against this Chinese company. One alleges that TikTok collects confidential information and personal user data that could be used by the Chinese government.
CRISTIANO LIMA, reporter for The Washington Post: Many US officials have specific concerns about the fact that ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is based in China, and the PRC has laws under which corporations can obtain necessary data.
The second claim is that the app exposes children to inappropriate sexual and drug-related material. The content goes to extremes, and the company does not acknowledge this. TikTok said that “the safety, privacy and security and our community is our top priority”, adding, “We are embedding the principles of the welfare of the younger generation into our policy” and age restrictions are imposed on publications. Referring to concerns that some information could end up in the hands of the Chinese, TikTok responded that it stores US user data on servers outside of China, stressing that it has never deleted US publications at the request of the Chinese government.
TIM STARKS, Analyst Writer: Examining what China can do with this information, it’s clear that they can use it to target users for hacking.
Responding to these security concerns, Texas has joined Maryland and South Carolina in the decision to ban the use of TikTok on government electronic devices. These developments are not new: last month, a member of the US Federal Communications Commission called on the government to block TikTok. The company stresses its confidence that ongoing negotiations with the US government will be successful sooner rather than later, taking into account the country’s national security interests.