In a recent article, we looked at the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance. We learned about the company’s in-app browser that tracks keystrokes, how it surfaces misinformation on 105 videos, and how it censors content, influencing the way Americans think.
ByteDance is TikTok’s Chinese parent company
A new scandal has surfaced over ByteDance’s surveillance of its users. The social media app’s Chinese parent company reportedly allowed its employees to access user data about U.S. citizens through its website and app. This was revealed after Forbes reviewed internal documents and contacted senior executives to request the data.
The company is reportedly planning to expand its business globally and has aggressively recruited staff from Facebook and Snapchat. Although it is unlikely that the Chinese government will change TikTok, this development could force American policymakers to take a closer look at the company. It is possible that the Chinese government could be censoring the content of U.S. users in order to control its domestic tech sector.
The new rules imposed by TikTok’s Chinese parent company follow China’s strict views on acceptable speech. These rules have sparked backlash from employees in the U.S., but ByteDance has denied that they are censoring the content. The company claims that it has an independent American moderation team that sets its own rules and that the company’s US-based team is not influenced by Chinese government regulations.
In addition to the internal data exchange between China and the United States, the company has also begun hiring the United States Technical Services team as part of a project called Project Texas. One former employee confirmed that no Chinese nationals were allowed to join the US Technical Services team.
The company has grown rapidly since its inception. It has offices in Beijing, Los Angeles, Moscow, Mumbai, Seoul, and Tokyo. The company is estimating that it will have more than a billion users worldwide in 2022. It is also expanding its advertising team and testing its Creator Marketplace in the U.S.
The company also recently suspended a planned privacy policy change, relating to targeted advertising and user insights. Although ByteDance maintains that its actions are in compliance with EU rules, the suspension could be indicative of a larger problem. The company is facing mounting pressure from users and regulatory bodies, as its parent company ByteDance is struggling to make money from the social media app.
Its search feature surfaces misinformation on 105 videos
A recent study by the NewsGuard fact-checking organisation found that nearly 20% of videos on the popular social media app TikTok contain misleading or false information. The organisation analyzed 540 videos to determine what is true and what is not. In all, it found 105 videos with questionable or misleading information on a range of topics.
The study found that users who were most likely to spread false information on the social network website TikTok were people who were not active in the app, did not actively search for topics related to COVID-19, or follow other accounts. However, when they did engage with the social media website, they quickly were presented with false information about the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, these participants had not actively searched for or followed any accounts, and their feeds were already filled with misinformation.
Its censorship could influence the thinking of Americans
TikTok is a Chinese social media platform owned by Chinese tech giant Bytedance, which is now being targeted by lawmakers who worry that its popularity is threatening US national security and personal privacy. There are some indications that the Chinese government could use the platform to monitor Americans and use the data to influence political opinions. TikTok has more than one billion users worldwide, including an estimated 135 million users in the US. In response to these concerns, the Biden administration is reportedly ready to take action against TikTok.
The TikTok controversy is a reaction to growing pressure on American policymakers to restrict its use on U.S. soil. While TikTok evaded the Trump administration’s efforts to ban the app, it has nonetheless ignited a debate among tech pundits. In response to Galloway’s remarks, freelance tech journalist Karl Bode argued that the concern is overblown and that many American companies engage in similar conduct.
The Chinese government has not yet commented on the possibility that TikTok could influence US elections. But it has already had many controversies. But, the Chinese government could put pressure on the platform and change its algorithm to increase propaganda and sow discord.
These concerns are not just limited to TikTok, but also extend to Facebook and Twitter. Both Facebook and Twitter collect user data from American citizens. While American consumer tech companies have many tools to protect their users’ data, Chinese companies are not.
TikTok’s parent company is based in China, a country with a dubious record on censorship and propaganda. This is particularly concerning because TikTok is governed by the Chinese government. The Chinese government has censored certain types of content on the site. This includes videos about Falun Gong and the Tiananmen Square.