The use of media platforms like TikTok has become increasingly popular over the past few years, but the US government is raising major concerns about the platform and its potential effect on US national security. These worries stem from the fact that TikTok is owned by China, which raises questions about how much data is being monitored and stored by the Chinese government. In this article, we will examine the US’s concerns about TikTok and what the US is doing to protect itself.
The Chinese Connection
TikTok is an app owned and operated by the Chinese-based company, ByteDance. The Chinese government has strong control over ByteDance, which means that all of the data that is collected and stored by the platform is ultimately accessible to the Chinese government. Despite being based in the US, TikTok has refused to allow US authorities access to its servers and other sensitive information, which is concerning for US authorities as it raises the question of what data the Chinese government is collecting and storing about US citizens. This has led to calls for the US to ban the app, given its potential threat to US national security.
Risk Assessment
The US government has been assessing the risk associated with using TikTok. While much of the data is stored remotely, there is still the potential for it to be accessed and used by the Chinese government. This could range from the collection of personal data to the spread of state-sponsored propaganda, both of which could have serious implications for US national security.
Protecting US Citizens
Given the potential risks associated with using TikTok, the US government is taking action to protect US citizens. This includes the US Department of Defense banning the app from all military-issued phones, and other US government departments beginning to limit or restrict access. In addition, the US government is working on legislation that would require social media platforms to disclose their ownership and provide more transparency into who owns their data.
Conclusion
TikTok and other Chinese-owned media platforms raise serious concerns for US national security. The data that is collected and stored by these platforms is ultimately accessible to the Chinese government, and the US government is concerned about what the Chinese may be doing with this data. To protect US citizens, the US government is taking action to limit access to the platform and is working on legislation to increase transparency into who owns the platform’s data. Share this article on social media to spread the word about the potential risks of using TikTok.