TikTok

FBI: TikTok raises national security concerns

Chris Wray, the director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has raised national security concerns posed by TikTok.

Ray warned yesterday that control of the popular video-sharing app was in the hands of the Chinese government, which he said “does not share our values”.

Ray also said that the F. Me. Ai is concerned that the Chinese have the ability to control the app’s recommendation algorithm, allowing them to “manipulate content, and if they want to, they can use it in influence operations.”

Wray also stressed that China could use the app to collect data on its users for use in traditional espionage operations.

National Security Concerns:

Commissioner to the US Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, revealed that the US government should ban TikTok, rather than reaching a national security agreement with the social media app, which could allow it to continue operating in America.

According to CNN, a TikTok spokesperson said: “The FCC commissioner has no role or direct knowledge of confidential discussions with the U.S. government regarding TikTok, and is not in a position to discuss what these ongoing negotiations entail.”

“We are confident that we are on track to reach an agreement with the United States government that will reduce reasonable national security concerns,” the spokesman added.

Carr’s call to ban the Chinese app was first reported by Axios, and notes expanded on his previous calls to Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores.

Algorithm of application recommendations:

A report by the US Senate Homeland Security Committee said that the priority of US social media companies is to make profits rather than eliminate harmful speech that motivates violent extremists and perpetuates their ideologies, according to a report issued by the committee and published by the US network ABC News.

“Social media companies have failed to meaningfully address the growing presence of extremism on their platforms and the four business models examined by the panel – Meta, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok – are based on a focus on maximizing user engagement, growth and profits, which increasingly stimulates extremist content,” the report says.

Data about its users to use :

TikTok faces a potential £27 million ($28.9 million) fine after the UK’s privacy watchdog ICO tentatively found that the company may have breached data protection rules by failing to adequately protect children’s data.

A TikTok spokesperson said: “While respecting the ICO role in protecting privacy in the UK, we disagree with the initial views expressed and intend to formally respond to the warning sent to the company in a timely manner.”

Information Commissioner John Edwards said: “We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections.