TikTok confirms it offered US Government a 'kill switch'
TikTok offered a "kill switch" to the US government amid data security concerns. Legal battles persist over potential divestment from ByteDance. Reports suggest data sharing between TikTok and ByteDance.
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TikTok has confirmed offering the US government a "kill switch" to address concerns over data protection and national security. This offer was made in 2022 as a response to legislation threatening to ban the app unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it. TikTok and ByteDance are challenging this law in court, arguing it goes against the tradition of an open internet. The proposed "kill switch" would have allowed the US government to suspend TikTok in the US if certain rules were violated. Despite TikTok's efforts to negotiate and address concerns, the US government has pushed for divestment from foreign ownership due to national security risks. The legal battle continues, with oral arguments scheduled for September. TikTok maintains that it does not share US user data with China and operates under American oversight through a partnership with Oracle known as Project Texas. However, reports have indicated data sharing between TikTok in the US and ByteDance in China, leading to ongoing scrutiny and potential consequences for the popular social media platform.
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4 commentsLikely because the existence of a "Dedicated Transparency Center" implies there is something to hide that is not on the premises.
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