TikTok Might Face FTC Probe Over US Knowledge Entry

The US Senate Intelligence Committee chair and high Republican have known as on the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) to analyze social media app TikTok and Chinese language dad or mum ByteDance as a consequence of “repeated misrepresentations” over its dealing with of US knowledge.

The request on Tuesday from Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, and Republican Marco Rubio adopted a Buzzfeed report saying the brief video app permitted TikTok engineers and executives in China to repeatedly entry non-public knowledge of US customers. The senators stated such entry raised questions over TikTok’s claims to lawmakers and customers that the information was protected.

“In gentle of repeated misrepresentations by TikTok regarding its knowledge safety, knowledge processing, and company governance practices, we urge you to behave promptly on this matter,” the senators wrote FTC Chair Lina Khan.

TikTok stated Tuesday that entry to knowledge “is topic to a sequence of strong controls, safeguards like encryption for sure knowledge, and authorisation approval protocols overseen by our US-based management/safety crew.”

The corporate responded to the senators’ letter by reiterating “TikTok has by no means shared US person knowledge with the Chinese language authorities, nor would we if requested.”

The FTC confirmed it had acquired the letter however declined additional remark.

Final week, TikTok informed US senators it was engaged on a ultimate settlement with the Biden Administration that may “absolutely safeguard person knowledge and US nationwide safety pursuits.”

TikTok acknowledged in a letter Thursday that China-based staff “can have entry to TikTok US person knowledge topic to a sequence of strong cybersecurity controls and authorisation approval protocols overseen by our US-based safety crew.”

TikTok Chief Govt Shou Zi Chew informed senators it was working with Oracle on “new superior knowledge safety controls that we hope to finalise within the close to future.”

The senators’ letter cited a BuzzFeed information story about leaked inner recordings that stated China-based staff of ByteDance had on the “very least” entry to US knowledge.

TikTok’s letter Thursday stated hit had not misled Congress about its knowledge and safety controls and practices.

Final month, TikTok stated it had accomplished migrating data on its US customers to servers at Oracle but it surely was nonetheless utilizing US and Singapore knowledge centres for backup.

It has been practically two years since a US nationwide safety panel ordered dad or mum firm ByteDance to divest TikTok due to fears that US person knowledge might be handed on to China’s communist authorities.

TikTok is among the world’s hottest social media apps, with greater than 1 billion energetic customers globally, and counts the USA as its largest market.

© Thomson Reuters 2022