TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control

The U.S. Justice Department has accused TikTok of collecting sensitive user data related to divisive social issues such as abortion and gun control. In court documents, government lawyers stated that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, utilized an internal system called Lark to facilitate communication between TikTok employees and ByteDance engineers in China. This system allegedly allowed the transfer of sensitive U.S. user data to Chinese servers, raising concerns about potential manipulation of content by the Chinese government. The Justice Department highlighted the risk of "covert content manipulation," suggesting that the algorithm could be used to influence public opinion and exacerbate social divisions in the U.S.

The government is currently engaged in a legal battle regarding TikTok's future in the U.S., with a law signed by President Biden potentially leading to a ban if the company does not sever ties with ByteDance. TikTok has countered these claims, arguing that the ban would infringe on the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users and asserting that the government has not provided sufficient evidence to support its allegations. The Justice Department maintains that national security concerns justify the law, emphasizing that foreign entities like ByteDance are not protected by the First Amendment. Oral arguments in this case are scheduled for September, as TikTok continues to challenge the legality of the proposed ban.