Despite its popularity, Tiktok should be banned because it is a major threat to our national security. It has sexual predators approaching young people and it can be used to promote pro-China propaganda.
It’s a threat to our national security
Currently, the US government is investigating TikTok as a possible threat to national security. This video app, owned by a Chinese company, is being investigated as a potential tool for espionage. This is not the first time that TikTok has been subject to congressional scrutiny.
In recent months, a number of U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns over the use of TikTok. They have argued that it poses a national security threat because it could be used by the Chinese government to snoop on US citizens.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIU) is considering taking action to alter the operation of TikTok in the US. This could include a ban on TikTok, as well as a review of TikTok’s data collection and privacy practices.
The FBI has also expressed concerns over TikTok’s ability to collect user data. According to the FBI, TikTok could be used by the Chinese government to influence operations and political speech in the U.S. The agency believes that the app can be used to snoop on users’ personal information and geolocations.
In addition, the Senate Intelligence Committee is now examining the use of TikTok. The committee chairman, Mark Warner, has described the video platform as a “massive collector of information on U.S. youth,” and he has called for an investigation into TikTok.
Despite the concerns, the FBI has said that TikTok has not provided evidence that it is being used for spying. However, the head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, warned against using the platform for espionage.
Other prominent critics have also highlighted TikTok as a spying threat. They have argued that the company collects too much personal information on Americans, and that it is a threat to children. They also have argued that the Chinese government could use the platform to influence American children.
It’s a platform for many voices and away people express their creativity
Besides the requisite one or two squints, TikTok has been a good ol’ boy for most of my adult life. While the app has its share of poop poop squatters, it has managed to retain a steadfast customer base of about 450 million users worldwide. That’s a lot of mojo to be had, albeit, in a time crunch, tight deadline environment. Thankfully, TikTok’s affable customer service department is a breeze to deal with, and a few e-mails away. After all, it’s not like they’re stuck in a closet. Of course, TikTok’s perks aren’t limited to the office. TikTok’s customer service department can be reached by e-mail, phone, or text message, to name a few.
It could be used to promote pro-China propaganda
Earlier this month, BuzzFeed published a story alleging that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has been using the company’s flagship product, TopBuzz, to promote pro-China messages in the name of innovation. It’s also alleged that the company was caught red handed trying to trick American users into downloading a pro-China app, which is a serious red flag.
As part of its investigation, BuzzFeed obtained screenshots of the app and consulted anonymous sources. Although the company’s CEO Erich Andersen denies any involvement, several former employees have allegedly confirmed that ByteDance used TopBuzz to distribute pro-China messages. Moreover, a few of the company’s China-based employees are believed to have had access to user information that may have been compromised.
While the company denied that it has ever accessed any data from Americans, they have publicly scoffed at allegations that it has. A spokesperson has told BuzzFeed that TikTok is “taking steps to address these concerns and protect users.” A recent report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says that ByteDance has been found to be “doing nothing to protect its users.” However, TikTok’s own media director has vowed to take action in response to a congressional request.
In addition, a number of Chinese celebrities have stepped up their game in this regard, largely opting to shun any reference to their employers. This includes the aforementioned TikTok sycophant and South African YouTuber Winston Sterzel, who have both opted for the more tame route of omitting employer from their YouTube bios. One can only imagine how the Chinese government might leverage the popularity of TikTok to its own advantage. A few months back, a pair of Chinese state media experts published an exhaustive study of state-owned media in China, which found that TikTok was a significant player in the social networking space.
It’s a problem with sexual predators approaching young people
During the last year, there has been a problem with sexual predators approaching young people on TikTok. The problem arose after the BBC aired a Panorama investigation into the platform. The programme found hundreds of sexual comments publicly posted by teenagers. It also found that the social media app was slow to tackle adult sexual predators.
According to the BBC, it took TikTok more than a year to act against an adult sexual predator. A 35-year-old man was arrested after investigators accused him of initiating sexual conversations with 21 girls. He said that the accusations were unfounded.
TikTok has more than a million users and over 10,000 moderators in 20 countries. TikTok uses an algorithm to identify potentially inappropriate content. However, it is not the only platform that has taken steps to combat sexual predation.
A former member of the Greenville, South Carolina, police department is now a safety advocate on TikTok. He authored a blog post about how to detect and report problematic accounts.
Another blogger is a “watchdog mom” who is highlighting problematic content on the site. She has attracted millions of views in the process. She uses her platform to share warning signs of sexual abuse. She is also working with non-profits that offer safe houses for survivors.
Other women are tackling the problem on their own. They are reporting videos with explicit nudity and other problematic content. They have also developed an ad hoc system for leaking screenshots.
One woman has even created her own video to accuse a YouTuber of sexual harassment. She claims the crude joke in the video was taken out of context.
Other people are also taking advantage of TikTok’s privacy settings to share content. Some of this content has been removed.
It’s unlikely to be banned
Despite the hype surrounding the TikTok ban, there is a good chance that the app will not be banned in the U.S. The controversy has raised questions about data privacy and digital trade.
Although the issue of TikTok’s ownership by Chinese government is not new, it is important to note that the Chinese government is unlikely to interfere with or restrict the activities of TikTok users. In fact, TikTok has been working to reassure western governments that it is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
While the Chinese government may not be able to control TikTok’s activities, there are a number of other factors that make the app a political risk. For one thing, if the government took action to ban the app, it would be difficult for American companies to replicate TikTok’s algorithmic addiction.
Another concern is that the company’s ownership could be used to gain access to user data. While TikTok has vowed to protect user information, there have been a number of reports claiming that Chinese state agencies have gained access to user data. This has led to a number of lawsuits filed against the company.
There are a number of ways that the US government can ban TikTok. The Commerce Department has the ability to put TikTok on a list of entities that should not do business in the U.S. It doesn’t need congressional approval to do this.
A TikTok ban would likely be in the form of an executive order, which would create uncertainty in the marketplace. However, an executive order is likely to be challenged in court. It’s also likely that Congress would eventually get around to passing a law that regulates the privacy practices of online companies.