The United States government is considering banning Tik Tok and other Chinese social media apps over issues involving the country’s national security.
The decision was revealed by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday, June 6, 2020, during an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.
Responding to Ingraham’s question on whether the US should be considering banning Chinese social media apps, especially Tik Tok, Pompeo said:
With respect to Chinese apps on people’s cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too, Laura. I don’t want to get out in front of the President [Donald Trump], but it’s something we’re looking at.”
He added that people should only download the app if they wanted their private information “in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Pompeo’s remarks come following US lawmakers’ concerns over Tik Tok’s handling of user data as they accused the short-form video app of being a threat to national security because of its ties to China.
The lawmakers also alleged that the company could be compelled “to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”
A Tik Tok spokesperson reacting to Pompeo’s statement, stated:
TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy here in the US. We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.”
The Indian government had last week banned 50 Chinese mobile applications, including top social media platforms like Tik Tok, Helo, and WeChat. Their move was to counter the alleged threat posed by these applications to its “sovereignty and security.”
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