TikTok has come under fire for reportedly collecting US users’ opinions on sensitive topics such as abortion and gun control and sharing this data with its China-based parent company, ByteDance.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department revealed these details in court filings related to TikTok’s lawsuit against an impending US ban unless it divests from Chinese ownership by January.
The Justice Department argues that TikTok’s data collection practices pose a national security risk and notes the app’s history of censoring content under ByteDance’s direction. This allegation bolsters claims that TikTok acts as a “conduit for content-moderation decisions made by Chinese entities.”
TikTok maintains that it has invested billions to safeguard US data and prevent outside influence. However, past incidents, including ByteDance’s improper access to journalists’ data and internal data sharing without proper protocols, fuel ongoing concerns about data privacy and security. As TikTok battles to remain in the US market, these revelations intensify the debate over the app’s potential risks.
