"American Data Protection"... Why Does the US Political Sphere Distrust TikTok?

Kept Distance from China but Growing Distrust in Geopolitical Crisis Theory
House of Representatives: "There Are No Private Companies in China"

As TikTok, the Chinese video platform with 1.6 billion global subscribers, faces the threat of being banned in the United States, analyses suggest that distrust of the Chinese government within the U.S. political sphere has led to this outcome.

On the 14th (local time), the Associated Press (AP) reported that amid a global geopolitical crisis, TikTok has not been able to escape the U.S. political distrust regarding its ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The New York Times (NYT) also stated, "Concerns are growing that sensitive user data could flow to the Chinese government."

[Photo by Pixabay]

Currently, TikTok is headquartered outside of China and strategically maintains distance from China. TikTok has targeted non-Chinese markets from the beginning and is not accessible within mainland China.

Earlier on the 13th (local time), the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill forcing TikTok’s parent company, the Chinese firm ByteDance, to sell TikTok, with 352 votes in favor and 65 against. The bill stipulates that if ByteDance does not sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company within 165 days, TikTok distribution on U.S. app stores will be banned.

As concerns over data security grew in the U.S., TikTok tried to reassure U.S. lawmakers by stating that American user data remains in the U.S. and that ByteDance employees in Beijing cannot access it. ByteDance also attempted to downplay its ties to China to attract and gain the trust of users in the U.S. and Western countries, with some even claiming it is a global company rather than a Chinese one.

"Chinese Tech Companies as Mouthpieces of the Communist Party"

TikTok logo and the US flag
Photo by AFP/Yonhap News

However, amid rising geopolitical tensions between China and the West, TikTok ultimately failed to shake off the distrust of the U.S. Congress. Alex Capri, a researcher at the global trade research institute Heinrich Foundation, explained, "Technological nationalism is emerging as technological capabilities are regarded as national strategic assets. Chinese tech companies have an obligation to hand over data according to Chinese government laws and regulations, effectively becoming de facto mouthpieces of the Chinese Communist Party."

According to Article 7 of China’s National Intelligence Law enacted in 2017, "All organizations and citizens of China shall support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work." This means that the Chinese government can legally obtain information from companies and individuals if it cites national security reasons.

Previously, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming publicly apologized after shutting down the app 'Neihan Duanzi,' which contained various memes and vulgar humor deemed inappropriate by authorities in 2018, reaffirming adherence to the Party line. He also promised comprehensive revisions to the algorithms of affiliated news apps and a significant increase in censorship personnel.

Gallagher, Chairman of the U.S. House China Committee
Photo by UPI/ Yonhap News

Regarding this, Mike Gallagher, chairman of the U.S. House China Task Force and a leading figure behind the TikTok ban bill, declared, "There is no such thing as a private company in China." The U.S. political sphere thus concluded that TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are subject to the Chinese government and could hand over user data to it.

For the 'TikTok Ban Act' to be enacted, it must pass the Senate and be signed by the President. Some senators have already expressed concerns that the bill may violate constitutional provisions such as freedom of expression. President Joe Biden has stated he would sign the bill if it passes the Senate, while former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, opposes the sale of TikTok, reversing his stance during his presidency.

Meanwhile, issues related to TikTok first arose around 2019 in the U.S. Subsequently, the Department of Defense banned soldiers from using TikTok. Some states, including Nebraska, have restricted the installation of TikTok on government-owned devices. The primary concern is that the Chinese government could collect TikTok users’ personal information and data without authorization, manipulate algorithms, or exploit the platform for various intelligence activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.