FBI Sounds Alarm on Chinese Influence Through TikTok
(LibertySons.org) – TikTok is a video-based social media application owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. The ownership of the platform has been a concern for many officials within the US government who worry Beijing could get access to American citizens’ data for uses unknown. During a meeting with the House Homeland Security Committee on November 15, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed the agency had “national security concerns.”
The FBI has serious concerns about China's influence through TikTok on U.S. users, Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers. https://t.co/XaOU0CJo6h
— Lauren Feiner (@lauren_feiner) November 15, 2022
During the meeting to discuss global threats to the United States, Wray noted possible issues from the FBI’s perspective. The agency worries the Chinese government could use TikTok to not only control what Americans see, but to access the software on their devices, or “control data collection” from app users. In short, the director has concerns about China’s access to American data.
The social media platform has been under a cloud of suspicion for some time. Former President Donald Trump even attempted to ban new downloads of the application through an executive order in 2020. President Joe Biden later reversed the decision. According to The New York Times, the Biden administration is working on a deal with ByteDance to address US security concerns. A spokesperson from the social media app company assured any agreement would alleviate the government’s concerns.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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