The US authorities are investigating TikTok to ensure US users’ data are protected from the Chinese government

TikTok is currently being investigated by the US authorities as US senators are concerned about US user’s data being given to the Chinese government. 

According to Forbes, the Committee on Foreign Investment in US is reviewing the acquisition of Musical.ly that is rebranded as TikTok. The authorities are concerned that the app will not only offer the Chinese government user’s data, but also remove content that criticises China.

On the other hand, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the company prioritises the trust of the US users and regulators and will cooperate with the Congress for the investigation. TikTok also issued a statement confirming that data collected by them are not subjected to Chinese law and all the data centres are located outside of China. In addition, TikTok reveals that it was never asked by Chinese government to ”remove any content” and “would not do so if asked”.

Indeed, TikTok has grown rapidly as an app that shares viral short videos to capture viewer’s attention. It also seems like the US government is not ready to trust Chinese companies yet, and that’s made more apparent with the whole HUAWEI ban.