FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER wray/is#tik tok# threat to national security?#policy talk

In July 2020, it was reported that the FBI had expressed concerns about the popular social media app TikTok and its potential threat to national security. According to the FBI, TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and is subject to Chinese laws that require companies to cooperate with the government's intelligence agencies.

The FBI expressed concerns that TikTok's data collection practices could be used to gather sensitive information on American citizens, including their location, contacts, and even their biometric data. There were also concerns about the potential for Chinese propaganda to be spread through the app, as well as the possibility that TikTok could be used as a platform for cyber espionage or other malicious activities.

TikTok has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and has insisted that it operates independently of the Chinese government. The company has also made efforts to distance itself from its Chinese roots, including hiring a US-based CEO and opening a transparency center in the United States.

Despite these efforts, the US government has taken steps to address the perceived threat posed by TikTok. In August 2020, President Trump signed an executive order that would have effectively banned the app in the United States