TikTok Threatens Legal Action Against US Ban

Uploaded on 2020-08-26 in TECHNOLOGY-Key Areas-Social Media, GOVERNMENT-National, FREE TO VIEW

President Trump has recently said he would ban Chinese-owned video app TikTok from the United States and in response, TikTok intends to take legal action against the US.  

The Trump administration claims that the App could pass data on US citizens back to the Chinese government. Since TikTok is one of the only recent social media startups to compete with tech giants like Facebook, weakening TikTok could further concentrate power among a few tech giants in the US.

The organisation said it was "shocked" by an executive order from the US President outlining the ban and TikTok said it would "pursue all remedies available" to "ensure the rule of law is not discarded".

A TikTok spokesperson told NBC News that the app helped to create jobs across the US and was committed to user privacy. “We’ve hired nearly 1,000 people to our US team this year alone, and are proud to be hiring another 10,000 employees into great paying jobs across the US,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Our $1 billion creator fund supports US creators who are building livelihoods from our platform.

“TikTok US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access,” the statement said. “TikTok’s biggest investors come from the US. We are committed to protecting our users’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.”

While this conditional ban on TikTok’s US business operations will likely face serious legal challenges, and it’s unclear how immediately enforceable it is, the order creates a serious challenge for TikTok, a wildly popular video streaming app with some 100 million US users. President Trump issued a similar order against China's WeChat in a major escalation in Washington's growing confrontation with the Chinese government. 

As well as WeChat, Tencent is also a leading gaming company and its investments include a 40% stake in Epic Games. The US  President has already threatened to ban TikTok in the US, citing national security concerns, and the company is now in talks to sell its American business to Microsoft. By Executive Order, they have until 15 September to reach a deal.  The executive orders against the short-video sharing platform and the messaging service WeChat are the latest measure in an increasingly broad Trump administration campaign against China.

The Trump administration claims that the Chinese government has access to user information gathered by TikTok, which the company has denied. 

Though TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, is best known as a place where teens share short, often lighthearted musical videos, it has become the center of geopolitical controversy between the US and China over technological power.

For the established US social media giants Facebook and Google, the decision could significantly weaken their fiercest new competitor. A forced sale of TikTok could have negative consequences beyond the people running TikTok. The move threatens to jeopardise the success of an app that’s had a meteoric rise from a relative underdog to one of the most downloaded apps in the world.   

ByteDance:     BBC:        Independent:      Vogue:     CNBC:       Vox:   

You Might Also Read:

Hong Kongers Erase Their Digital Footprints:
 

« VPNs – Training and Access – both now available on CYRIN
Utah University Pays Half Million Dollar Ransom Demand »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Check Point
Cyrin

Real Attacks. Real Tools. Real Scenarios.
Schedule a demo

Sign Up: Cyber Security Intelligence Newsletter

Directory of Suppliers

NordLayer

NordLayer

NordLayer is an adaptive network access security solution for modern businesses — from the world’s most trusted cybersecurity brand, Nord Security. 

Syxsense

Syxsense

Syxsense brings together endpoint management and security for greater efficiency and collaboration between IT management and security teams.

IT Governance

IT Governance

IT Governance is a leading global provider of information security solutions. Download our free guide and find out how ISO 27001 can help protect your organisation's information.

MIRACL

MIRACL

MIRACL provides the world’s only single step Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which can replace passwords on 100% of mobiles, desktops or even Smart TVs.

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO is the market leader in HPE Non-Stop Security, Risk Management and Compliance.

GovCERT.HK

GovCERT.HK

GovCERT.HK is the Government Computer Emergency Response Team for Hong Kong.

Cyber Together

Cyber Together

Cyber Together is dedicated to advancing the cyber security industry by giving businesses access to Israel’s leaders, innovators and great minds in the field of cyber security.

Verimuchme

Verimuchme

Verimuchme is a digital wallet and exchange platform to secure, verify and re-use personal information.

CERT-PY

CERT-PY

CERT-PY is the national Computer Emergency Response Team for Paraguay.

Digital Infrastructure Association (DINL)

Digital Infrastructure Association (DINL)

DINL is the leading representative for companies and organisations which are active within the Dutch digital infrastructure sector.

IoT Defense

IoT Defense

IoT Defense (IOTD) is a cybersecurity and networking company building solutions that enable the protection of networks and the ever-increasing prevalence of IoT devices.

Rezilion

Rezilion

Rezilion is a stealth mode cyber-security start-up developing a cutting edge technology that makes cloud environments self-protecting and resilient to cyber-attacks.

YL Ventures

YL Ventures

YL Ventures funds and supports brilliant Israeli tech entrepreneurs from seed to lead.

YouWipe

YouWipe

Scandinavian Data Erasure Leader YouWipe is the number one choice of European Ministries, European Central Banks, Swiss Pharmaceuticals and Major Electronics Retail Chains.

PreCog Security

PreCog Security

PreCog Security is a US based cybersecurity risk mitigation company. We specialize in helping you find, minimize and manage vulnerability risk within your product, network and process.

VeriClouds

VeriClouds

VeriClouds is a password verification service that helps organizations detect compromised passwords and stop account takeover attacks.

Cyberfort Group

Cyberfort Group

Cyberfort exists to provide our clients with the peace-of-mind about the security of their data and the compliance of their business.

Aeries Technology

Aeries Technology

Aeries is a technology services organization offering capabilities in Technology Services, Digital Transformation, and Business Process Management.

Cyber Security Council UAE

Cyber Security Council UAE

The Cyber Security Council's vision is to protect UAE cyberspace, maintain confidence in our digital infrastructure and institutions, and build a cyber-resilient society.

Sirti

Sirti

Sirti is Italy's leading technology company in the design and production of network infrastructures and telecoms system integration.

VT Group (VTG)

VT Group (VTG)

VTG delivers force modernization and digital transformation solutions that expand America’s competitive advantage in the modern battlespace.