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Tag: TikTok

  • FBI & DOJ Investigating ByteDance & TikTok’s Surveillance of Journalists

    FBI & DOJ Investigating ByteDance & TikTok’s Surveillance of Journalists

    As if TikTok’s problems couldn’t get any worse, the FBI and DOJ are investigating its parent company for surveilling Forbes journalists.

    TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance. The company is under pressure around the globe as one jurisdiction after another bans TikTok from government devices over privacy concerns.

    One of the most egregious privacy and security violations involved ByteDance’s admission that it used TikTok to surveil Forbes journalists, tracking their locations. The admission has sparked an investigation by the FBI and DOJ, according to Forbes:

    According to a source in position to know, the DOJ Criminal Division, Fraud Section, working alongside the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has subpoenaed information from ByteDance regarding efforts by its employees to access U.S. journalists’ location information or other private user data using the TikTok app. According to two sources, the FBI has been conducting interviews related to the surveillance. ByteDance’s use of the app to surveil U.S. citizens was first reported by Forbes in October, and confirmed by an internal company investigation in December.

    At the time of the admission, ByteDance executives expressed their disapproval, with the executive responsible for the actions, Chris Lepitak, being fired. His direct superior who reported to the CEO, Song Ye, also resigned.

    “I was deeply disappointed when I was notified of the situation… and I’m sure you feel the same,” CEO Rubo Liang wrote in an internal email shared with Forbes at the time. “The public trust that we have spent huge efforts building is going to be significantly undermined by the misconduct of a few individuals. … I believe this situation will serve as a lesson to us all.”

    “It is standard practice for companies to have an internal audit group authorized to investigate code of conduct violations,” TikTok General Counsel Erich Andersen wrote in a second email. “However, in this case individuals misused their authority to obtain access to TikTok user data.”

    ByteDance told Forbes it would cooperate with any official investigation:

    “We have strongly condemned the actions of the individuals found to have been involved, and they are no longer employed at ByteDance. Our internal investigation is still ongoing, and we will cooperate with any official investigations when brought to us,” said ByteDance spokesperson Jennifer Banks. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.

    The news comes at a time when TikTok is facing its most daunting challenges. In addition to being banned from government devices in the US, EU, UK, and Canada, the Biden administration has told ByteDance that TikTok will face a nationwide ban unless the company divests from TikTok.

  • UK Joins US, EU, Canada In Banning TikTok From Government Devices

    UK Joins US, EU, Canada In Banning TikTok From Government Devices

    The UK has joined the US, EU, and Canada in banning TikTok from government devices, citing “a specific risk with government devices.”

    TikTok is facing an existential crisis as governments and jurisdictions struggle with the security implications of the social media app. The company has come under fire for its ties to Beijing, especially since Chinese companies are required to aid the government with surveillance. There have also been repeated lapses in privacy, including TikTok’s parent admitting to surveilling journalists.

    The UK has evidently determined the risks are too great, passing a ban involving the app and government devices, according to The Guardian. Oliver Dowden, the Cabinet Office minister in the Commons, said the ban was “with immediate effect.”

    The decision is a marked change of tune for the UK government, which had previously said it would not follow other governments in banning the app.

  • TikTok May Split From ByteDance to Avoid US Ban

    TikTok May Split From ByteDance to Avoid US Ban

    TikTok is considering drastic action in an effort to avoid a US ban, including the possibility of splitting from parent ByteDance.

    TikTok is increasingly under fire over privacy and security concerns. The company is owned by China-based ByteDance, raising concerns over national security, given China’s long history of surveillance and state-backed hacking.

    Facing a possible US ban, as well as increased restrictions in Canada and the EU, TikTok is considering what would once have been unthinkable, according to Bloomberg. According to the outlet’s sources, the measure is considered a last-ditch option, only to be used if existing efforts to appease national security officials fail. Even then, such a measure would have to be approved by the Chinese government, something that likely has a low chance of happening.

    In the meantime, TikTok is emphasizing the measures it is already taking to comply with US demands:

    “Neither a ban of TikTok nor a divestiture of TikTok from ByteDance does anything to address national security concerns about data transfers,” said Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson for TikTok. “Under Project Texas, TikTok data for our US users would be held to a significantly higher security standard than any comparable American company.”

  • Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Taking Aim at TikTok & Foreign Tech

    Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Taking Aim at TikTok & Foreign Tech

    A bipartisan bill has been introduced to the Senate, one that would take a comprehensive approach to foreign tech.

    Concerns have been growing about TikTok and the threat it poses to privacy and security. In addition to TikTok, US officials remain concerned about Huawei, ZTE, and a host of other companies that could pose a threat to national security.

    Senators Mark R. Warner and John Thune led a bipartisan group of 12 senators in introducing the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act.

    “Today, the threat that everyone is talking about is TikTok, and how it could enable surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party, or facilitate the spread of malign influence campaigns in the U.S. Before TikTok, however, it was Huawei and ZTE, which threatened our nation’s telecommunications networks. And before that, it was Russia’s Kaspersky Lab, which threatened the security of government and corporate devices,” said Sen. Warner. “We need a comprehensive, risk-based approach that proactively tackles sources of potentially dangerous technology before they gain a foothold in America, so we aren’t playing Whac-A-Mole and scrambling to catch up once they’re already ubiquitous.”

    “Congress needs to stop taking a piecemeal approach when it comes to technology from adversarial nations that pose national security risks,” said Sen. Thune. “Our country needs a process in place to address these risks, which is why I’m pleased to work with Senator Warner to establish a holistic, methodical approach to address the threats posed by technology platforms – like TikTok – from foreign adversaries. This bipartisan legislation would take a necessary step to ensure consumers’ information and our communications technology infrastructure is secure.”

    The new legislation would give the Secretary of Commerce the authority to crack down on any information or communications tech developed by a foreign company “in which any foreign adversary has any interest and poses undue or unacceptable risk to national security.”

    The bill would also prioritize communications and tech that constitutes “critical infrastructure,” as well as enable the Commerce Secretary to take comprehensive action, including educating the public and businesses about potential security threats from foreign tech.

    “We need to protect Americans’ data and keep our country safe against today and tomorrow’s threats. While many of these foreign-owned technology products and social media platforms like TikTok are extremely popular, we also know these products can pose a grave danger to Wisconsin’s users and threaten our national security,” said Sen. Baldwin. “This bipartisan legislation will empower us to respond to our fast-changing environment – giving the United States the tools it needs to assess and act on current and future threats that foreign-owned technologies pose to Wisconsinites and our national security.”

    “There are a host of dangerous technology platforms – including TikTok – that can be manipulated by China and other foreign adversaries to threaten U.S. national security and abuse Americans’ personal data. I’m proud to join Senator Warner in introducing bipartisan legislation that would put an end to disjointed interagency responses and strengthen the federal government’s ability to counter these digital threats,” said Sen. Fischer.

  • TikTok Introduces New Features to Protect Teens

    TikTok Introduces New Features to Protect Teens

    TikTok is unveiling new features designed to protect teens as the social media app is under fire from all sides.

    TikTok is facing increased pressure from jurisdictions around the world over its ties to Beijing and its handling of user data, especially that of children. The company has been accused of abusing child privacy on multiple occasions, and multiple states have launched investigations into the platform’s effect on children.

    The company is now rolling out measures to better protect children, including limits on how much teenagers can use the app per day:

    In the coming weeks, every account belonging to a user below age 18 will automatically be set to a 60-minute daily screen time limit. While there’s no collectively-endorsed position on the ‘right’ amount of screen time or even the impact of screen time more broadly, we consulted the current academic research and experts from the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital in choosing this limit. If the 60-minute limit is reached, teens will be prompted to enter a passcode in order to continue watching, requiring them to make an active decision to extend that time. For people in our under 13 experience, the daily screen time limit will also be set to 60 minutes, and a parent or guardian will need to set or enter an existing passcode to enable 30 minutes of additional watch time.

    Teens will be able to opt out of the 60-minute limit, but TikTok will prompt them to set some limits:

    Research also shows that being more aware of how we spend our time can help us be more intentional about the decisions we make. So we’re also prompting teens to set a daily screen time limit if they opt out of the 60-minute default and spend more than 100 minutes on TikTok in a day. This builds on a prompt we rolled out last year to encourage teens to enable screen time management; our tests found this helped increase the use of our screen time tools by 234%. In addition, we’ll send every teen account a weekly inbox notification with a recap of their screen time.

    The company is also rolling out a number of features to help parents have greater input on how their children use TikTok.

    Ultimately, it’s unclear if these measures will save the platform. It has already been banned from government-owned devices in the EU, Canada, and the US, and some lawmakers are putting forth bills to ban it entirely.

  • Canada Bans TikTok From Government Devices

    Canada Bans TikTok From Government Devices

    Canada is the latest jurisdiction to ban TikTok from government devices, another setback for the Chinese social media platform.

    According to AP News, the Canadian government has banned the popular app from all government-owned devices. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t rule out additional steps down the road.

    “I suspect that as government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones many Canadians from business to private individuals will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices,” Trudeau said.

    “I’m always a fan of giving Canadians the information for them to make the right decisions for them,” he added.

    The EU Commission and US Congress has already banned the app on government devices. US lawmakers have introduced legislation that would ban the app entirely, and the EU has signaled it could do the same if TikTok fails to respect user privacy.

  • EU Commission Bans TikTok On Staff Phones

    EU Commission Bans TikTok On Staff Phones

    The EU Commission has followed the US Congress, banning TikTok on all government-owned devices.

    TikTok has increasingly been in the crosshairs of regulators on both sides of the Atlantic over privacy concerns and the company’s link to Beijing. The issues have taken a sharp turn for the worse after the company admitted to surveiling journalists.

    According to BBC News, the EU Commission has banned the app from government-owned devices to “protect data and increase cybersecurity.”

    “The measure aims to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions which may be exploited for cyberattacks against the corporate environment of the commission,” EU spokeswoman Sonya Gospodinova said.

    In the meantime, legislation has been introduced in the US that would ban the app entirely, and the EU has warned TikTok that a similar measure could be taken in the EU if the company fails to respect user privacy.

  • US Senator Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok, Citing ‘Unacceptable Threat’

    US Senator Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok, Citing ‘Unacceptable Threat’

    US Senator Michael Bennet has called on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, calling it an “unacceptable threat.”

    Calls for a ban on TikTok have been increasing as a result of the company’s continued privacy and security scandals, as well as the security implications of its ties to Beijing. The company has recently admitted to surveiling US journalists, has mislead Congress about how it handles US data, and ultimately refused to keep such data out of China. Multiple states and government entities have already banned the app from government devices, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has called for Apple and Google to ban it.

    Senator Bennet has joined that call, asking Apple and Google to remove the app.

    “Like most social media platforms, TikTok collects vast and sophisticated data from its users, including faceprints and voiceprints. Unlike most social media platforms, TikTok poses a unique concern because Chinese law obligates ByteDance, its Beijing-based parent company, to ‘support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work,’” wrote Bennet.

    Read More: TikTok Accused of Illegally Collecting Data and Uploading It to China

    “Beijing’s requirement raises the obvious risk that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could weaponize TikTok against the United States, specifically, by forcing ByteDance to surrender Americans’ sensitive data or manipulate the content Americans receive to advance China’s interests,” continued Bennet in the letter. “No company subject to CCP dictates should have the power to accumulate such extensive data on the American people or curate content to nearly a third of our population.”

    Bennet then highlighted the steps Congress has already taken to limit the app, making the case that Apple and Google should do the same.

    “Last year, Congress recognized the unacceptable security risks from TikTok and banned it from all federal government devices. At least 27 state governments have also passed full or partial bans on the app. Given these grave and growing concerns, I ask that you remove TikTok from your respective app stores immediately,” concluded Bennet.

    TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before the House Energy & Commerce Committee on March 23. Given the increasing push to ban the platform, his testimony should prove interesting.

  • TikTok Is Making a Play for Search

    TikTok Is Making a Play for Search

    TikTok is making a play for the search market, encouraging users to use it in place of traditional search engines.

    TikTok may be the hottest social media platform, but the company has designs on much more. With many young people turning to social media for answers and advice, TikTok is trying to position itself as a search engine alternative.

    If using the app for search seems far-fetched, one only has to look at one of its latest ads to see what the company is planning. Of course, given the scrutiny the Chinese firm is already under, TikTok’s efforts to compete with traditional search may backfire.

    US lawmakers and regulators are concerned about the amount of user data TikTok has access to and whether that data makes its way to Chinese authorities. Making a play for the search market, and the additional data that encompasses, is likely to make those lawmakers even more nervous and lend more weight to a possible ban.

  • TikTok CEO to Testify Before House Energy & Commerce Committee

    TikTok CEO to Testify Before House Energy & Commerce Committee

    TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before the House Energy & Commerce Committee to address the company’s privacy and data practices.

    TikTok is under fire on all sides, with multiple states and government entities banning the app from government-owned devices. Legislation has been introduced to ban the app from the US entirely, and the EU has signaled it may do the same if TikTok fails to comply with regulation.

    Read more: Europe Is Finally Going After TikTok

    The Energy & Commerce Committee wants answers from TikTok’s CEO — his first appearance before a Congressional committee — about how the company intends to address the myriad privacy and data concerns regarding it. The committee also wants answers regarding TikTok’s ties to Beijing.

    “Big Tech has increasingly become a destructive force in American society,” said Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. “The Energy and Commerce Committee has been at the forefront of asking Big Tech CEOs – from Facebook to Twitter to Google – to answer for their companies’ actions. These efforts will continue with TikTok. ByteDance-owned TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist Party to access American user data. Americans deserve to know how these actions impact their privacy and data security, as well as what actions TikTok is taking to keep our kids safe from online and offline harms. We’ve made our concerns clear with TikTok. It is now time to continue the committee’s efforts to hold Big Tech accountable by bringing TikTok before the committee to provide complete and honest answers for people.”

    The CEO is scheduled to testify on March 23, 2023.

  • Europe Is Finally Going After TikTok

    Europe Is Finally Going After TikTok

    The European Union is finally beginning to scrutinize TikTok, changing the status quo that has seen the Chinese platform go largely unchallenged.

    TikTok has been under fire in the US for several years, but the EU has largely been silent, instead focusing its attention on larger players among Big Tech. According to CNBC, that appears to be changing.

    Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner of the Internet Market, has reportedly warned TikTok CEO Shou Zi that the app could be banned if it fails to comply with EU digital content regulations by the September 1 deadline.

    TikTok has evidently avoided scrutiny so far through a combination of popularity among Europeans and flying under the radar. While EU regulators have been concerned over the social media platform and its penchant for privacy and data scandals, the bloc has been more concerned with companies like Google and Meta.

    “It takes a little bit of time for the European Commission to get its act together on these issues,” Dexter Thillien, lead tech and telecoms analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, told CNBC.

    “It’s not because of a lack of willingness from the European Commission to do something,” Thillien continued. “They’ve got their hands full with bigger companies.”

    That appears to be changing, however, with the bloc finally turning its attention to TikTok and realizing action will be needed to reign in its privacy abuses.

    “TikTok’s success is the result of a European policy failure,” Moritz Korner, a member of the European Parliament for Germany’s Free Democratic Party, told CNBC.

    “From a geopolitical perspective, the EU’s inactivity towards TikTok has been naive.”

  • Senator Hawley Introduces Bill to Ban TikTok

    Senator Hawley Introduces Bill to Ban TikTok

    Senator Josh Hawley has introduced the No TikTok on United States Devices Act bill in an effort to ban the popular social media platform.

    TikTok has come under repeated fire for privacy abuses and violations. The company has abused user privacy so much, the list is simply too long to fully enumerate. Some of the highlights, however, include misleading Congress regarding how US user data is processed and monitoring Forbes journalists. As a result, the calls for a complete ban on the app have been mounting.

    Senator Hawley has introduced a bill aimed at making that happen. He was joined by Representative Ken Buck.

    “TikTok poses a threat to all Americans who have the app on their devices. It opens the door for the Chinese Communist Party to access Americans’ personal information, keystrokes, and location through aggressive data harvesting. Banning it on government devices was a step in the right direction, but now is the time to ban it nationwide to protect the American people,” said Senator Hawley.

    “TikTok is a clear threat to our privacy and national security. Not only is TikTok directly associated with the Chinese Communist Party, but it has been used to spy on Americans and gain an alarming level of access to users’ phones. This should concern every citizen who values their privacy, security, and personal information. Banning CCP tied TikTok nationwide is the only route to ending this malicious cybersecurity threat,” said Representative Buck. “I am proud to introduce this legislation alongside Sen. Josh Hawley to ensure that every Americans’ privacy and security is protected from hostile foreign entities.”

    Hawley has already introduced the bill twice before, with it unanimously passing the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on one occasion, and the entire Senate on the other occasion. With Republicans in control of the House, there is a good chance the bill will pass both chambers.

  • The Challenges With Banning TikTok In The U.S. Remains Uncertain

    The Challenges With Banning TikTok In The U.S. Remains Uncertain

    The life expectancy of the popular short-form video platform and mobile application – TikTok – is again on shaky ground within the U.S. as lawmakers and government officials have initiated a state-by-state crackdown on the use of the app on government-issued devices including mobile phones and computers. 

    Back in mid-December 2022, several states, including Alabama, Maryland, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Texas outlawed the use of the app by employees on state-owned devices. This comes nearly two years after a similar crackdown in 2020, that saw the military’s ban of TikTok on government-issued smartphones. 

    These bans happened almost overnight. Within two weeks, 19 out of the 50 states restricted access to TikTok on all government-owned computers according to a Reuters article last month. In addition to the ban, certain school districts, and other public sectors have now also introduced individual restrictions for users.  

    This however isn’t the first time that the Chinese-owned social media app has taken center stage on the government’s agenda. 

    In 2020, former President Donald Trump and the Trump Administration highly questioned the integrity and privacy features of the mobile app. Back then Trump called to restrict nationwide access to users from downloading TikTok if the parent company, Bytedance, didn’t sell to a U.S.-based firm. 

    Now two years later, the Biden Administration overturned Trump’s efforts, yet this time state-level concerns could prompt further federal intervention in the coming year. 

    Yet, maybe Trump was right all along about TikTok and its dark underbelly. 

    TikTok grew to become a global sensation during the height of the COVID-pandemic in 2020. The app has roughly one billion active users and has become one of the most popular social media apps for sharing short-form videos. 

    The influence of the app has been felt across the spectrum, especially among younger users that see TikTok as a platform through which they can build a personal brand and generate income. Creators that can also be known as influencers in some circles have generated substantial cash from the videos they post and share online. 

    According to Zip Recruiter, creators and influencers can make up to an estimated $54,379 annually based on figures for 2022. 

    Small businesses have also gained massive support and following through the platform. In a report by CNN, business owner Callie Goodwin of Columbia, South Carolina told the network that roughly 90% of her current orders for her business come from people who discovered her content and business via TikTok. 

    From personal finance advice, make-up tutorials, and business sales, TikTok’s mammoth influence has made it increasingly hard for lawmakers to conclude whether it’s possible to introduce a full or partial ban on the application. 

    While there are several positives about the app, and its growing popularity, ongoing social debates over algorithm changes, and wary outrage cycles have led some users and creators to question the increasingly dark side of the app. 

    Then there are issues related to TikTok’s keystroke tracking methods which track users’ characters across the in-app browser. In August 2022, TikTok, alongside then publicly traded Twitter became the topic of controversial data handling practices. 

    At the height of the controversy, researchers were questioning how social media applications were tracking and handling consumer data, highlighting once again that consumers can’t trust social media companies and their lack of data transparency. 

    Allegations related to privacy and data issues have meant that lawmakers are now starting to seriously debate TikTok’s future within the US. While it’s uncertain what the outcomes will be, the Biden Administration has been trailing months’ worth of bans and restrictions on Chinese-based businesses and investments. 

    President Biden has in recent times been working to prevent China from developing advanced chips and has limited US investment in Chinese tech. Additionally, the administration has drawn up plans to restrict Chinese-based apps to collect information and data on Americans, which some experts claim is a direct retaliation towards Bytedance-owned TikTok.

    TikTok’s future in the U.S. is looking uncertain, yet many claim that the influence and market presence of the mobile app will prevent it from completely vanishing from American soil in the coming year. 

    The ongoing trials have in recent days led TikTok to halt all hiring for consultants that look to assist with the implementation of a proposed security agreement. This comes as opposition to the mobile app intensifies, and state-level restrictions start to place pressure on the future of the short-form video app. 

  • TikTok May Be Throwing in the Towel In Its Attempts to Appease the US

    TikTok May Be Throwing in the Towel In Its Attempts to Appease the US

    TikTok may be ready to give up its efforts to appease US officials in the wake of repeated privacy issues and violations.

    TikTok has been under fire for years, stumbling from one privacy misstep to another. There have also been ongoing concerns that TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, poses a national security risk as a result of being based in China. The Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to force ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s US assets.

    In an effort to appease US officials, TikTok was willing to undergo external audits to prove its algorithms were not influenced by Beijing, with Oracle tasked with performing the audits.

    According to Reuters, via Android Police, TikTok appears to be backing away from that strategy. The company was interviewing potential consultants to help it enforce any deal the US might impose, but has since put its recruitment efforts on hold for the time being.

    The company said the holdup is a result of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States not yet approving any deal. The company also says it is instead focusing on candidates that would not require approval by the CFIUS.

    In the wake of revelations that ByteDance used TikTok to surveil American journalists, the platform’s situation has gone from bad to worse. Multiple states and the House of Representatives have banned the platform from government-owned devices, and many are calling for an outright ban of the app.

    Whatever TikTok’s motivations, hiring experts that don’t require CFIUS approval is unlikely to win the company any goodwill among regulators and legislators.

  • US May Force ByteDance to Sell US TikTok Operations

    US May Force ByteDance to Sell US TikTok Operations

    TikTok’s recent privacy scandals have US officials once again considering the possibility of forcing ByteDance to sell its US TikTok operations.

    During the Trump administration, US officials attempted to ban the Chinese social media app, or force its parent to sell of its US operations. Oracle and Walmart, in partnership, emerged as the buyers, but the deal ended up losing steam and was eventually abandoned.

    In recent weeks, however, new revelations have come to light about the extent of the threat TikTok poses to privacy and security. The company has been caught lying to Congress about how US user data is processed, and ByteDance admitted just days ago that a company team used TikTok to track Forbes journalists, despite denying the report at an earlier date.

    Read more: Congress Passes Bill Banning TikTok From Government Devices

    According to The Wall Street Journal, these new revelations are causing US officials to reconsider the social media app’s future, and whether it would be wise to force a sale of the US portion of the business. At the heart of the issue is concerns over TikTok and ByteDance’s ties to China, and the threat they may pose as a result of Beijing’s surveillance and espionage efforts.

    The Pentagon and Justice Department are evidently weighing in on the matter, with officials reportedly of the opinion that the only way to ensure TikTok is safe for Americans is to force it out of Chinese ownership.

    “We’re talking about a government that, in our own intelligence community’s estimation, has a purpose to move global technology use and norms to privilege its own interests and its values, which are not consistent with our own,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told WSJ, while declining to discuss TikTok specifically. “That’s the perspective I bring to these issues.” 

    Only time will tell if these talks lead to definitive action, but the future certainly doesn’t look good for TikTok.

  • TikTok Owner ByteDance Admits to Surveiling Journalists

    TikTok Owner ByteDance Admits to Surveiling Journalists

    Despite initial claims to the contrary, ByteDance has admitted to using TikTok to monitor Forbes journalists, including tracking their locations.

    Forbes broke a story in October that accused TikTok and ByteDance of planning to surveil specific Americans using the TikTok app. The two companies vehemently denied the allegations, even saying, “Forbes’ reporting about TikTok continues to lack both rigor and journalistic integrity.”

    As it turns out, however, Forbes was right, and ByteDance has admitted the outlet’s report was correct. ByteDance used TikTok to track multiple Forbes journalists in an effort to track down leaks that served as the basis of multiple stories about the company’s close ties to China.

    The surveillance even included using TikTok to track the journalists’ IP addresses and user data in an effort to determine if they had been in the vicinity of any ByteDance employees.

    ByteDance has lost a number of executives responsible for the surveillance, including Chris Lepitak, its chief internal auditor and the man who led the surveillance team. Song Ye, the executive Lepitak reported to and who reported directly to CEO Rubo Liang, has resigned.

    “I was deeply disappointed when I was notified of the situation… and I’m sure you feel the same,” Liang wrote in an internal email shared with Forbes. “The public trust that we have spent huge efforts building is going to be significantly undermined by the misconduct of a few individuals. … I believe this situation will serve as a lesson to us all.”

    “It is standard practice for companies to have an internal audit group authorized to investigate code of conduct violations,” TikTok General Counsel Erich Andersen wrote in a second email. “However, in this case individuals misused their authority to obtain access to TikTok user data.”

    Forbes minced no words in calling out ByteDance’s actions as an assault on a free press.

    “This is a direct assault on the idea of a free press and its critical role in a functioning democracy,” says Randall Lane, the chief content officer of Forbes. “We await a direct response from ByteDance, as this raises fundamental questions about what they are doing with the information they compile from TikTok users.”

    For its part, TikTok is clearly trying to distance itself from the situation and blame the whole fiasco.

    “The misconduct of certain individuals, who are no longer employed at ByteDance, was an egregious misuse of their authority to obtain access to user data,” said TikTok spokesperson Hilary McQuaid. “This misbehavior is unacceptable, and not in line with our efforts across TikTok to earn the trust of our users.”

    TikTok is under well-deserved fire, with multiple states banning the app from state-owned devices and Congress passing a bill that would ban it from government devices. This latest report is only going to add fuel to the fire, and will likely result in renewed calls for an all-out ban on the app.

  • Congress Passes Bill Banning TikTok From Government Devices

    Congress Passes Bill Banning TikTok From Government Devices

    Congress has passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill that includes a clause banning TikTok from government devices.

    TikTok has been under fire for repeated privacy concerns, not to mention lying to Congress about how US user data is handled. Several states have already banned the app from state-owned devices, but Congress has taken it a step further.

    According to CNBC, both chambers of Congress have passed a $1.7 trillion bill that includes a provision banning the app from government devices. Despite praise from various industry groups, the move drew condemnation from TikTok.

    “We’re disappointed that Congress has moved to ban TikTok on government devices — a political gesture that will do nothing to advance national security interests — rather than encouraging the Administration to conclude its national security review,” a TikTok spokesperson said. “The agreement under review by CFIUS will meaningfully address any security concerns that have been raised at both the federal and state level. These plans have been developed under the oversight of our country’s top national security agencies — plans that we are well underway in implementing — to further secure our platform in the United States, and we will continue to brief lawmakers on them.”

    Only time will tell if lawmakers are satisfied with banning the app from government devices, or if additional measures will taken to implement a wider ban.

    In the meantime, the bill will go to President Biden to be signed into law.

  • ‘No TikTok on Government Devices Act’ Passes Senate

    ‘No TikTok on Government Devices Act’ Passes Senate

    The US government is one step closer to banning TikTok, with the Senate passing a bill that would ban it from government devices.

    TikTok is under increasing scrutiny as a result of a litany of privacy scandals and accusations that it represents a threat to US national security. While a bill was recently introduced that would implement a nationwide ban, an earlier bill banning the app from US government devices has passed the Senate, according to CNN.

    The bill, authored by Senator Josh Hawley, passed the Senate by unanimous consent, but has yet to pass in the House. Meanwhile, TikTok took aim at the passage, essentially calling it a waste of time.

    “Once again, Sen. Hawley has moved forward with legislation to ban TikTok on government devices, a proposal which does nothing to advance U.S. national security interests,” a spokesperson for TikTok said in a statement. “We hope that rather than continuing down that road, he will urge the Administration to move forward on an agreement that would actually address his concerns.”

  • Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban TikTok

    Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban TikTok

    A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced bills in the US Senate and House to ban TikTok.

    TikTok has been under fire repeatedly for its privacy practices, as well as concerns regarding Beijing’s influence and TikTok’s handling of US user data. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi have introduced legislation that would ban TikTok over such concerns.

    “The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok,” said Senator Rubio. “This isn’t about creative videos — this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. We know it’s used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good.”

    “TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news,” said Representative Gallagher. “It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party – America’s foremost adversary. Allowing the app to continue to operate in the U.S. would be like allowing the U.S.S.R. to buy up the New York Times, Washington Post, and major broadcast networks during the Cold War. No country with even a passing interest in its own security would allow this to happen, which is why it’s time to ban TikTok and any other CCP-controlled app before it’s too late.”

    “At a time when the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries abroad are seeking any advantage they can find against the United States through espionage and mass surveillance, it is imperative that we do not allow hostile powers to potentially control social media networks that could be easily weaponized against us,” said Representative Krishnamoorthi. “The bipartisan ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is a strong step in protecting our nation from the nefarious digital surveillance and influence operations of totalitarian regimes. Recent revelations surrounding the depth of TikTok’s ties to the CCP highlight the urgency of protecting Americans from these risks before it’s too late.”

    Pressure has been mounting against TikTok, especially in the wake of revelations that the company misled Congress regarding how US data is handled. The company’s executives had testified that US data was handled by a US team when, in fact, the data was often forwarded to China and handled there. In subsequent testimony, following the revelation, execs refused to commit to keeping US data out of China. The company has also been accused of planning to surveil specific Americans.

    Calls for a ban on TikTok have been increasing, with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr being particularly vocal in his belief that action should be taken against the Chinese firm. In the meantime, states have begun taking matters into their own hands, banning the app and website from state-owned and operated devices.

  • Maryland Bans TikTok and Other Chinese and Russian Apps

    Maryland Bans TikTok and Other Chinese and Russian Apps

    Maryland has become the second state to ban TikTok over cybersecurity concerns, also banning other Chinese and Russian apps and services.

    Concerns have been growing over the security and privacy risk TikTok poses. South Dakota banned the app from state-owned devices and Maryland has now followed suit. Governor Larry Hogan issued an emergency cybersecurity directive banning TikTok from state agencies. The directive also bans other Chinese and Russian apps.

    “There may be no greater threat to our personal safety and our national security than the cyber vulnerabilities that support our daily lives,” said Governor Hogan. “As the cyber capital of America, Maryland has taken bold and decisive actions to prepare for and address cybersecurity threats. To further protect our systems, we are issuing this emergency directive against foreign actors and organizations that seek to weaken and divide us.”

    The ban covers the following entities:

    TikTok; Huawei Technologies; ZTE Corp; Tencent Holdings, including but not limited to: Tencent QQ, QQ Wallet, and WeChat; Alibaba products, including but not limited to: AliPay; and Kaspersky.

    State agencies must remove all such services and take measures to prevent their installation and use.

    “This action represents a critical step in protecting Maryland State systems from the cybersecurity threats caused by foreign organizations,” said State CISO Chip Stewart.

  • South Dakota Bans TikTok From State-Owned Devices

    South Dakota Bans TikTok From State-Owned Devices

    South Dakota has become the first US state to ban TikTok from all state-owned devices over surveillance and espionage concerns.

    TikTok has been widely criticized as a threat to US national security and individual privacy. The company has stumbled from one privacy debacle to another, being accused of possible keylogging, planning to surveil specific Americans, processing US data in China after telling Congress it would be handled in the US, and much more.

    In response to the ongoing issues, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed an executive order banning TikTok from all state-owned devices. The ban includes “persons and entities who contract with the state, commissions, and authorities or agents thereof.” The order prohibits the use of the TikTok app, as well as the website.

    “South Dakota will have no part in the intelligence gathering operations of nations who hate us,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “The Chinese Communist Party uses information that it gathers on TikTok to manipulate the American people, and they gather data off the devices that access the platform.”

    “Because of our serious duty to protect the private data of South Dakota citizens, we must take this action immediately. I hope other states will follow South Dakota’s lead, and Congress should take broader action, as well,” continued Governor Noem.