TikTok Facing New Scrutiny in U.S.

Breitbart: The FBI and DOJ have reportedly launched investigations into TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, over allegations of spying on journalists, including Americans.

Engadget reports that the FBI and DOJ are investigating ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, after the company acknowledged firing four employees for using the app to track the whereabouts of two journalists in the United States. The information is released at a time when ByteDance is under increased pressure to sell its stake in TikTok because failure to do so could result in the popular video app being banned in the U.S.

This development is a significant policy shift by the Biden administration and has sparked a new round of debate. Many have accused the Biden administration of not taking the alleged security threat posed by the China-based company seriously enough, especially after the Chinese company hired a Biden-connected consulting firm.

After ByteDance admitted that its employees had improperly accessed the data of U.S. users, congressional critics began to express concerns about TikTok’s surveillance practices. Forbes reports that the DOJ has served subpoenas to ByteDance. However, it’s still unclear how far the investigation into the incident has gone. The FBI has also interviewed people in connection with the matter, though it is not yet clear if these interviews are a part of the same investigation.

In a statement, a ByteDance spokesperson addressed the issue, stating, “We have strongly condemned the actions of the individuals found to have been involved, and they are no longer employed at ByteDance.” The spokesperson also confirmed that the company’s internal investigation is ongoing, and ByteDance is committed to cooperating with any official investigations when brought to them.
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US threatens TikTok ban if app is not sold, report suggests https://t.co/Kzw1w9Ak8C

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