The United States Government is contemplating a ban on the Chinese social media app TikTok, over security concerns. During an interview with Fox News, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, suggested this move and also reaffirmed on the seriousness of the issue. “I don’t want to get out in front of the president, but it is something that we’re looking at”, he said.
The short video making app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and has about 65-80 million active monthly users in the United States, reported abc News.
This move by the US government comes after America’s feud with China over the handling and response towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the health crisis in the United States, president Trump has criticized China through a range of remarks. It has accused the nation for maliciously hiding information about the novel Coronavirus. It has also accused the UN health agency, WHO, for supporting China in the same.
India & US March Over TikTok
TikTok has also been criticized by various US officials over data privacy and security concerns. The Secretary of State also urged the Americans to download the app only if they want their information in the hands of the “Chinese Communist Party”.
“We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided data to the Chinese government and now will we do so, if asked”, said a spokesperson from TikTok, clarifying their stance on this issue.
This announcement by the United States comes after the unprecedented app ban by India. On June 29, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, which included TikTok, over data privacy and security concerns. This move by the Indian government came into picture amidst tensions and escalations across the Indo-China border in Ladakh. The Indian Ministry of Electronics stated that the app was “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India”.
