The US has requested ByteDance, the owner of the Chinese social media platform TikTok, to sell its shares, otherwise the application may be banned from use in the country. In the news in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), it was stated that the request was made by the Foreign Investments Committee (CFIUS) of the Treasury Department.
In the news, it was noted that 60 percent of the shares of ByteDance, the owner of the TikTok application, belong to global investors, 20 percent to company employees and the remaining 20 percent to its founders.
TICTOK PROHIBITION IN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS IN THE USA
TikTok Spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said in a statement, “If the goal is to protect national security, divestment won’t solve the problem. Changing the owner of the app does not impose any new restrictions on data flow or access.” used the phrases.
TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew is expected to testify on the subject in Congress on March 23.
On December 28, 2022, the US House of Representatives banned the download and use of the TikTok application on official devices used by its members and employees. Many states have passed similar laws banning the use of TikTok, including Maryland, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Indiana, and Texas.
Many government agencies, including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, banned TikTok without waiting for the December vote in Congress. The US Senate unanimously passed the bill on December 15, 2022, which bans federal government employees from downloading TikTok to state-owned devices due to “national security concerns”.
On February 28 in the USA, 30 days were given for the implementation of the TikTok ban on all federally owned phones.
“The best way to address national security concerns is through transparent, US-centric protection of American user data and systems with robust third-party monitoring, review and verification, which we currently implement,” Oberwetter said. said.
TikTok Spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said in a statement, “If the goal is to protect national security, divestment won’t solve the problem. Changing the owner of the app does not impose any new restrictions on data flow or access.” used the phrases.
In this context, it was stated that as long as ByteDance does not sell its shares, the use of TikTok application may be banned in the USA.
TIKTOK IS ON THE AGENDA DUE TO SECURITY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS
“The best way to address national security concerns is through transparent, US-centric protection of American user data and systems with robust third-party monitoring, review and verification, which we currently implement,” Oberwetter said. said.
