TikTok has stated unequivocally that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has never requested data on American users. “We have not provided US user data to the CCP, and would not do so if asked,” the company stated in an official letter first published by AFP and later confirmed by the company.
In response to nine Republican senators’ questions about its data storage policies, TikTok stated that it has taken steps to limit access to user data, which also applies to employees of its parent company, the Chinese group ByteDance. TikTok has recently faced questions about their data storage strategy, but they have stated that it is stored on US-based servers operated by Oracle.
However, they did confirm that some employees in China do have access to the user data of American users, but the system operates within “robust cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols” which are monitored by the company’s “US-based security team.”
According to an AFP report, the social media platform is currently under investigation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency government review board that looks into the various risks to US national security.
The White House has put a lot of pressure on TikTok in the last year, with Donald Trump announcing a complete ban on the platform. However, the former US President’s executive order was never implemented and was later revoked by Joe Biden. However, the company has also been scrutinized by the current administration.
