When asked if TikTok was accessing user data, Chew responded, “We have to be more explicit,” but then added, “Absolutely.”
The CEO of TikTok, Shou Chew On, revealed an unexpected detail about the famous social media app during a recent Congressional hearing. Given that the site is owned by the Chinese corporation Bytedance, this comes as no small surprise. Florida recognized the firm’s data practices, which have been under heavy scrutiny in recent months, in a statement to Congressman Kat Cammack. This disclosure raises crucial questions about the function of internet corporations in protecting our privacy at a time when lawmakers are still looking into the security of our personal information in the digital era.
JUST IN: Trump 24K Golden Dollars – Available Now!
“My colleague, Representative Lada, confirmed that your parent company ByteDance currently can access user data, yes?” Cammack asked. After Chew said “we have to be more specific” he said “Yes,” and added “some user data is public data.”
The popular social networking site TikTok has come under fire for reportedly giving the Chinese Communist Party access to users’ private information. Critics are still doubtful despite the parent business ByteDance’s strong denials of any connections to the CCP. Concerns regarding data privacy persist despite assertions that 60 percent of the company’s shares are held by foreign investors and that the remaining 40 percent is divided between the company’s employees and founders. The continuous discussion over protecting personal information in the digital era is highlighted by this incident.
In the US, the app has more than 100 million users.
The White House has taken a strong position against TikTok and has given federal agencies a short window of time to get rid of the program from their computers. But it appears that they are not alone; states all around the nation are following suit and prohibiting TikTok on equipment used by the government. Is this the start of a national TikTok opposition movement? Keep reading to learn more.
NPR quotes Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers as saying at a hearing on Thursday, “To the American people watching today, hear this: TikTok is a weapon by the Chinese Communist Party to spy on you and manipulate what you see and exploit for future generations.”
Chew stated that his program was “free from any influence from any government” in response to Rodgers’ inquiry about whether or not the CCP spied on Americans using it.
Rogers declared, “If you can’t say it 100 percent certain, I take that as a ‘no.'”
Also, according to Chew, the business implemented Project Texas, a reorganization plan, to provide Americans greater assurance that the CCP was not using their data.
According to CNBC, Chew acknowledged that after Project Texas was fully deployed, they would “need to erase” some American user data.
This story is developing and will be updated.
