TikTok confirms US prompted farewell to ByteDance to fend off ban
TikTok confirmed Wednesday that US officials have recommended separating the popular video-sharing app from its Chinese parent company ByteDance to avoid a nationwide ban.
Western countries, including the European Union and the United States, are taking an increasingly tough approach to apps, citing concerns that user data could be used or misused by Chinese authorities.
A TikTok spokeswoman told AFP: “Calls for a ban or a sale are unnecessary if the goal is to protect national security. Both options are industry-wide issues of data access and transfer. is not a solution,” he said.
“The best way to address national security concerns is to use strong third-party oversight, vetting, and verification to transparently protect U.S. user data and systems on a U.S. basis. I am convinced.”
wall street journal Other US news outlets on Wednesday reported that the White House had set an ultimatum: If TikTok continues to be part of ByteDance, it will be banned in the US.
“This is all a game of high stakes poker,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors.
Washington “clearly… is pressuring ByteDance to strategically sell this key asset, making a major move that could have significant ramifications,” he continued.
The White House last week welcomed the introduction of a bill to the Senate that would allow President Joe Biden to ban TikTok.
Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the bipartisan bill “will give the U.S. government powers to prevent certain foreign governments from abusing technology services.” . statement.
The bill’s introduction and its swift White House support fueled political momentum against TikTok, which is also the subject of another bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Taking a tough stance on China is one of the rare issues, given the potential for bipartisan support in both the Biden-led Democrat-controlled House and Senate.
Concerns rose among American officials earlier this year after a Chinese balloon flew through U.S. airspace that Washington claimed was on a spy mission.
TikTok uses rocket
TikTok claims to have over 1 billion users worldwide, especially over 100 million in the United States, where it has become a cultural force among young people.
Activists say the ban is an attack on free speech and will stifle the export of American culture and values to TikTok users around the world.
US government employees were banned from installing TikTok on government-issued devices in January.
Civil servants in the European Union and Canada are also prohibited from downloading apps on their work devices.
according to journal The ultimatum to TikTok was reportedly from a US interagency committee charged with assessing the risks foreign investments pose to national security.
U.S. officials declined to comment on the report.
TikTok has consistently denied sharing data with Chinese officials, saying it has been working with US authorities for more than two years to address national security concerns.
According to market tracker Insider Intelligence, users spend more time on TikTok than they do on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and it’s closing in on streaming TV giant Netflix.
https://www.voanews.com/a/tiktok-confirms-us-urged-parting-ways-with-bytedance-to-dodge-ban-/7007643.html TikTok confirms US prompted farewell to ByteDance to fend off ban