by The White House has warned this Wednesday that the social network TikTok is a possible national security risk, alleging that the Chinese-owned application could be trying to collect data from US citizens.
This was stated by the White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, who has confessed that the Joe Biden Administration is concerned about the app, which is why government officials on Monday were banned from having it installed on their mobile devices.
“We are concerned about the application. We are concerned when it comes to data from Americans: the collection of data from Americans and the potential risk to national security,” Jean-Pierre warned at a press conference.
Asked about a possible ban on TikTok on all devices in the United States, the White House spokeswoman has referred the decision to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), who is investigating the platform.
“TikTok raises a problem and a question. And so we have concerns about that as far as data from Americans is concerned,” Jean-Pierre reiterated, without specifically answering the question.
US officials have repeatedly expressed concern that the Chinese government could put pressure on ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, to deliver the information collected from users with the aim of using it for intelligence or disinformation purposes, reports the chain CNN.
In addition to The United States, Canada and the European Union have also announced the ban on officials from using TikTok on official mobile phones.due to concerns about cybersecurity and protection of the data of its users.
However, TikTok has rejected such a possibility and considered the decision adopted by the community institutions last week as “wrong” and based “on misconceptions.”
Joe Biden administration gives 30 days to ban TikTok on government devices
The White House has granted this Monday to federal agencies 30 days to ensure that your workers do not have the TikTok social network app on any government device.
The director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, has indicated in a guide that contemplates few exceptions that agencies must identify the presence of the application, establish an internal process to limit the use, eliminate and deauthorize the facilities and prohibit Internet traffic of information technologies belonging to the agencies.
Within 90 days, agencies must include in contracts that the app cannot be used on devices and must cancel any contracts that require use of the app.
In December, Tiktok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDancemade a change to its privacy policy, which gave Chinese employees access to the data of European users, although it is unclear exactly what data these employees have access to and which employees are involved.
US officials have repeatedly expressed concern that the Chinese government could pressure ByteDance to hand over information collected from users to be used for intelligence or disinformation purposes, the chain reports. CNN.
In addition to the United States, Canada and the European Union have also announced a ban on officials using TikTok on official mobiles, due to concerns about the cybersecurity and protection of the data of its users.
However, TikTok has rejected such a possibility and considered the decision adopted by the community institutions last week as “wrong” and based “on misconceptions.”
*With information from Europa Press.
