U.S. ‘Looking At’ Banning TikTok & Other Chinese Social Media Apps
Written by 1.02010 on July 8, 2020
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Monday (July 6) that officials are “looking at” banning TikTok — which is owned by Beijing-based startup ByteDance — and other Chinese social media apps over recently raised security concerns, that the U.S. is “taking very seriously.” The news arrives after India banned the app and as Australia considers it, citing the app consumes user data and feeds it to Beijing. Scoffing, Pompeo stated, “[You should download the app] if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.” He adds, “With respect to Chinese apps on people’s cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too. I don’t want to get out in front of the President [Donald Trump], but it’s something we’re looking at.” Responding to the news, a TikTok spokesperson says, “TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy here in the US. We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.”