The US government has threatened the Chinese company that owns TikTok with a nationwide ban on the social network unless it sells its remaining stake in the US subsidiary of the popular app. TikTok, whose parent company is Chinese tech company ByteDance, confirmed the request to The Wall Street Journal.
According to a New York media outlet, the US Committee on Foreign Investment is the one who gave the ultimatum to the owners of TikTok. The White House has not yet made a decision on this matter. The Joe Biden administration’s strongest crackdown on the social network so far comes amid pressure from lawmakers to clamp down on the platform, which has more than 100 million users nationwide.
Last week, General Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), told the Senate Armed Services Committee his concerns about TikTok “because of the information it has, its algorithm and its influence.” The Congressional Directorate has already vetoed the download and use of TikTok from all government mobile devices.
TikTok’s parent company is Chinese tech company ByteDance, which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party, although TikTok denies such allegations, saying it does not censor content or give the Chinese government access to its data. The White House welcomed a bill introduced in Congress last week that would give the executive branch the power to prevent certain governments, including China, from using technology services operating in the country that pose a threat.
Former US President Donald Trump (2017-2021) tried to veto TikTok, but it failed after a long legal battle. TikTok has more than 100 million users in the US and has quickly become one of the most popular social networks in the world, especially among teenagers.
Source: El Diario
