In a letter to US Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator Tom Cotton warn that the popular Chinese video app TikTok may represent a national security risk. The senators argue that ByteDance, the company that owns the app, may provide the Chinese government with the private data of its over 500 million users, including over 110 million in the US. The concerns resemble those relating to Chinese tech giant Huawei, which have resulted in the company being blacklisted by the US government.
In response to the allegations, ByteDance stated that it stores American user data in the United States, and that it “does not remove content based on sensitivities related to China” and has “never been asked by the Chinese government to remove any content.” The company claimed that it would refuse to cooperate with Beijing if faced with such requests, adding that it is “not influenced by any foreign government, including the Chinese government.”
Read more: US Lawmakers Fear Chinese-Owned TikTok Poses Security Risk
