The Chinese government has vehemently opposed a bill in the US Congress that could potentially lead to a TikTok ban, calling it an unjust move. This ongoing friction stems from long-standing safety anxieties surrounding the app, owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. While officials, politicians, and security personnel across Western nations have prohibited its installation on work phones, let’s delve into the three most significant cybersecurity concerns regarding TikTok and how the company addresses them.
1. Allegations of Excessive Data Collection:
TikTok maintains that its data collection practices align with industry standards. However, critics vehemently accuse the app of amassing vast amounts of user data. A cybersecurity report published in July 2022 by researchers at Internet 2.0, an Australian cybersecurity firm, is often cited as evidence. Their analysis of the app’s source code supposedly revealed “excessive data harvesting.” Specifically, analysts claimed TikTok collects details like user location, device specifics, and other apps installed on the device.
However, a report from the Georgia Institute of Technology last year stated, “The crucial point here is that most other social media and mobile apps engage in similar practices.”
2. Potential Government Espionage:
TikTok asserts that it operates entirely independently and “has not, and will not, provide user data to the Chinese government, even if requested.” While many users accept the trade-off of surrendering personal data to social networks in exchange for free services, this issue raises concerns for privacy experts. Social media platforms typically gather user information to sell targeted advertising or monetize user data by selling it to other companies.
The primary distinction with TikTok is its ownership by Beijing-based tech giant ByteDance, making it a unique non-US mainstream app. While Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube collect similar amounts of data, they are all US-founded companies. For years, US lawmakers, along with many others globally, have implicitly trusted these platforms not to exploit user data for malicious purposes that could compromise national security.
Donald Trump’s 2020 executive order expressed apprehension that TikTok’s data collection practices could potentially allow China to “track the locations of federal employees and contractors, build profiles containing personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.” So far, concrete evidence suggests this remains a theoretical risk. However, anxieties are fueled by a somewhat ambiguous piece of Chinese legislation passed in 2017.
Article seven of China’s National Intelligence Law mandates that all Chinese organizations and citizens should “support, assist, and cooperate” with the country’s intelligence efforts. This provision is frequently cited by individuals harboring suspicions towards not only TikTok but also all Chinese companies. However, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology argue that this clause is often taken out of context and emphasize that the law incorporates safeguards protecting user and private company rights.
Since 2020, TikTok executives have repeatedly attempted to reassure users that their data is inaccessible to Chinese staff when it comes to non-Chinese users. However, in 2022, ByteDance acknowledged that a handful of its employees based in Beijing did access data belonging to at least two journalists in the US and UK. This data access allegedly enabled them to track the journalists’ locations and verify if they were meeting with TikTok employees suspected of leaking information to the media. A spokesperson for TikTok confirmed that the employees who accessed the data were subsequently terminated.
3. Potential for Manipulation:
TikTok contends that its community guidelines explicitly “prohibit misinformation that could cause harm to our community or the broader public, including engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior.” However, concerns persist regarding the app’s potential for manipulation. In November 2022, Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, expressed anxieties to US lawmakers, stating: “The Chinese government could… control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for influence operations.”
These anxieties are further amplified by the fact that Douyin, TikTok’s sister app exclusively available in China, is heavily censored. Douyin is reportedly programmed to encourage the spread of educational and wholesome content tailored for its young user base. It’s worth noting that all social networks in China operate under strict censorship regulations, with a dedicated internet police force tasked with removing content critical of the government or potentially inciting political unrest.
The Landscape of Risks:
Overall, the situation presents a scenario fraught with theoretical fears and potential risks. Critics maintain that TikTok functions as a “Trojan horse” – seemingly innocuous on the surface, but potentially transformable into a powerful weapon during times of conflict. The app currently faces a ban in India, which took decisive action against TikTok and dozens of other Chinese platforms in 2020.
A US ban on TikTok could significantly impact the platform
