The US state of Virginia became the latest Friday to join the growing list of conservative-ruled territories that have banned the app. Tick tock on official devices.
An executive order issued on Friday by Governor Glenn Youngkin (Republican), prohibits state employees from downloading any applications owned by Chinese companies ByteDance and Tencent, such as TikTok and WeChaton the devices they use to work.
Several US lawmakers, mainly Republicans but also Democrats, have long warned against both companies’ ties to the Chinese authorities and have even accused them of share user data with the Beijing government.
“Data (collected by) TikTok and WeChat is a channel of communication with the Communist Party of China, and their presence poses a threat to national security, the intelligence community, and the personal privacy of every American,” the governor said. in a note. declaration.
TikTok has ensured on several occasions that it does not share user data with the Chinese authorities.
Several states, such as Texas, Alabama or Tennessee, have already done the same locally, while territories such as Indiana have filed a lawsuit against ByteDance for allowing Chinese espionage.
In 2019, and as part of his strategy to increase pressure on China, the then US president, Donald Trump (2017-2021)gave TikTok an ultimatum to switch its operations to US companies if it didn’t want to be banned in the country, but that didn’t pan out.
TikTok has more than 100 million users in the United States and has quickly become one of the most popular social networks in the world, especially among teenagers.
Approved by the Senate
The measure has a context that supports it. The US Senate unanimously passed on Wednesday (i.e. without a mid-term vote) a ban on the TikTok application on the official devices of federal government employees, although the regulation must be approved by the House of Representatives to become law.
The move comes after several lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, suggested data collected by the popular video app short films may end up in the hands of the Chinese government.
TikTok, which belongs to the Chinese company ByteDance, has assured on several occasions that it does not share user data with the authorities of the Asian country.
The rule approved by the upper house would prevent the download of the application on any device used for business purposes by federal government officials.
US authorities have also renewed their doubts about the application.
FBI Director Chris Wray reiterated his agency’s national security concerns on TikTok, warning Friday that control of the popular app could fall into the hands of a Chinese government. “who does not share our values.”
The FBI is concerned, Wray said, that Chinese authorities have the ability to control the app’s recommendation algorithm, “which would allow them to manipulate the content and, if they wish, use it for influence operations.”
He added that China could use the app to collect data about its users which could be used for traditional security operations. espionage.
Source: Clarin
Linda Price is a tech expert at News Rebeat. With a deep understanding of the latest developments in the world of technology and a passion for innovation, Linda provides insightful and informative coverage of the cutting-edge advancements shaping our world.