TikTok could be considered a national security problem of the United States

TikTok, the social network of playbak, is in the eye of several congressmen from the United States. Being under a Chinese company is considered by many to be a danger to the country's security.

For most, TikTok is an innocent platform full of videos that try to be cute and funny. They do not always succeed but it is a start. But for America's political leaders, it's a potential national security risk. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Tom Cotton have formally asked the Intelligence Community to assess whether TikTok and other Chinese-owned content platforms pose a threat.

With more than 110 million downloads in the United States alone, TikTok is a potential counterintelligence threat that we cannot ignore

Senators letter

They point out that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, must comply with Chinese law. Therefore, it could be pressured to cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party's intelligence operations. They are also concerned that the app could be targeted by foreign influence campaigns, like those carried out in 2016. And they note that TikTok reportedly censors content deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese Communist Party, including content related to the Hong Kong protests, Tiananmen Square, Tibetan and Tiwanaku independence, and the treatment of the Uyghurs. Preparing your own phone doesn't help much.

Concern about your relationship with China

Senators are not alone in their concerns regarding TikTok and other companies with ties to the Chinese government. Earlier this month, Senator Marco Rubio called for a review of ByteDance’s acquisition of Musical.ly in light of allegations of censorship. The US recently added eight tech companies to its “entity list,” blacklisting them over human rights concerns, and when the Trump administration suggested easing restrictions on Huawei.

Source: Engadget