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The FBI director is concerned about TikTok collecting user data.
One high-ranking official in the United States is unapologetic about TikTok.
FBI director Christopher Wray voiced concerns that the Chinese government may hypothetically modify TikTok’s recommendation algorithms that can be used “for typical espionage operations”, per an Associated Press story. This came up at a speaking engagement at the University of Michigan, during which Wray also voiced his worries about TikTok users’ personal data being available to China.
“All of these things are in the hands of a government that does not share our values and has a mission that is very much at odds with what is in the best interests of the United States,” Wray told the Associated Press. “That should concern us.”
The short-form video social network has been under government inspection for the previous few years, owing to worries about data protection (particularly with regard to children) and the general discomfort that exists between the United States and China. In 2020, the Trump administration attempted but failed to ban TikTok from app stores. There have also been legislative hearings in 2021 and this year, all linked to user data.
And to be fair, TikTok itself admitted last month that company personnel in China have some kind of access to user data, but it says there are “approved mechanisms” in place to make sure it’s done properly and with good reason. To be fair, TikTok isn’t the only social network with data privacy concerns. Hive, one of the lifeboats users are flocking to as Twitter sinks, just faced a big data leak.
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