FBI: TikTok provides China with the ability to control data of millions of users
FBI Director Christopher Wray has argued that the TikTok application, whose parent company is the Chinese firm ByteDance, provides China with the ability to control the data of millions of users.
12punto
Christopher Wray, in a statement to NBC News, made assessments regarding the US agenda.
Evaluating the application at a time when a ban on TikTok is on the agenda in the US, Wray stated, "This is a national security issue for us. The parent company that TikTok is affiliated with is under the control of the Chinese government. This gives the Chinese intelligence service the ability to collect data from millions of users and control the algorithms."
Wray argued that thanks to TikTok's "ability to control," it serves the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), adding, "This allows CCP narratives to be highlighted, while criticisms of the Chinese government can be made to appear insignificant. In this context, millions of users can become advocates for CCP propaganda."
DEVICE SECURITY AT RISK
Claiming that the Chinese government can control the software, Wray assessed, "This puts the security of millions of phones and electronic devices at risk."
Wray issued a warning to TikTok's millions of users in the US, saying, "I would suggest that you take into account that this is an application under the control of the CCP-led Chinese government."
Evaluating the anti-Israel protests that have recently spread to universities across the US, Wray stated, "These protests are not under FBI surveillance, but we are sharing intelligence with police forces against potential security threats that may arise on campuses."
BILL PAVING THE WAY FOR A TIKTOK BAN APPROVED
Meanwhile, the US Senate had approved a bill that paves the way for the divestiture of TikTok, or its ban if it is not divested.
If the bill, which paves the way for a ban on TikTok on the grounds that it poses a "national security threat," becomes law, the parent company, the Chinese firm ByteDance, will be forced to divest the platform.
Otherwise, it is envisioned that TikTok will be removed from internet application stores in the US for a period of 5 months or completely.
If the bill becomes law, it is likely that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, will face pressure from the conflicting demands of Washington and Beijing regarding the divestiture of the company.