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In response to an inquiry from lawmakers, TikTok countered latest studies about its information practices and has shared various particulars about the way it limits Chinese language entry to consumer information within the U.S.
Following a BuzzFeed report that Chinese language ByteDance engineers had sweeping entry to U.S. consumer information for a time frame, fourteen Republican lawmakers and a Republican commissioner from the FCC penned varied demanding TikTok present solutions about its privateness and safety.
Amid requires a ban, TikTok formally responded on Thursday in a letter dated June 30. Within the letter, obtained by The New York Instances, the corporate pushed again on the BuzzFeed report, saying that its claims have been “incorrect” and “not supported by information.” It additionally gave particulars about the way it protects consumer information within the U.S.
“We’re proud to have the ability to serve a world group of greater than a billion individuals who use TikTok to creatively specific themselves and be entertained,” the corporate wrote. “We all know we’re among the many most scrutinized platforms from a safety standpoint, and we intention to take away any doubt concerning the safety of U.S. consumer information.”
For instance, TikTok acknowledged that China-based staff might have entry to U.S. consumer information, however solely after being topic to a “sequence of sturdy cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols overseen by our U.S.-based safety workforce.”
The corporate additionally says it has lengthy saved U.S. consumer information on servers in each the U.S. and Singapore. It added that it has not been requested by Chinese language authorities officers for any U.S. consumer information, and said that it would not present it adjust to orders to take action.
Moreover, TikTok shared particulars about an inside endeavor dubbed “Venture Texas” that seeks to “assist construct belief with customers and key stakeholders.” The mission is concentrated on evaluating and revising TikTok inside insurance policies and operational controls.
This is not the primary time that the U.S. authorities has scrutinized TikTok. Again in 2020, the Trump Administration tried to get ByteDance to promote TikTok to a U.S.-based agency underneath menace of a complete ban within the nation.
Since then, nonetheless, plans to drive a sale of TikTok to U.S. firms seems to have fizzled out underneath President Joe Biden.
