From: allin
The discussion around TikTok and its implications for U.S. national security has intensified, with government officials and experts raising concerns about data tracking, content manipulation, and unfair competition. This debate involves high-level administrative figures and has led to bipartisan action in Congress.
Core Concerns
Multiple dimensions contribute to the perception of TikTok as a national security threat:
- Data Tracking and Access The app is believed to be used to track data about Americans, with evidence suggesting that individuals in China are monitoring specific U.S. users [01:55:18]. The CEO of TikTok allegedly lied under oath to congressional committees regarding this, claiming data was stored in Texas and inaccessible to Chinese nationals [01:55:30]. However, there are on-the-record statements from people in China who had access to American user data [01:55:53].
- Chinese Law Compliance A fundamental problem is a Chinese law mandating that any Chinese company, upon request from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), must provide all user data without court intervention or subpoena [01:56:36]. This means any executive of such a company is subject to significant penalties for non-compliance [01:56:53].
- Content Manipulation There are suggestions that the TikTok app could be manipulated on a content basis to influence U.S. policy, create hostilities, or disadvantage specific interests [01:57:13].
- Unfair Competition A key concern is the competitive imbalance: Chinese companies like TikTok are allowed to operate in the U.S. market, while American content-based organizations like Meta and Google are blocked from the Chinese market [01:57:33].
Evidence and Political Response
The intensity of the concern was highlighted by a bipartisan vote in Congress to ban TikTok [01:58:29]. This overwhelming consensus—352 votes in the House to 58, and 79 to 18 in the Senate—occurred after an intelligence briefing to both the House and Senate intelligence committees [01:58:36], suggesting that confidential information spooked many elected officials [01:58:50].
!!! Info In 2022, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, reportedly used its app to track the location of journalists in an effort to trace leaks [01:56:19].
The possibility of a “back door” equivalent to Pegasus spyware within TikTok is a significant concern [01:58:17]. This type of backdoor could allow remote activation of microphones to listen in, leaving no fingerprints [02:00:51]. Given that U.S. Navy SEAL Special Forces and government officials are often not allowed to use these apps due to tracking concerns, it’s theorized that state actors could triangulate and monitor sensitive conversations [02:00:51].
The reluctance of the CCP to divest TikTok’s operations suggests they view it as a valuable strategic tool [02:07:54].
Proposed Solutions: Divestment and Ban
A U.S. appeals court upheld a January 19th deadline for divestment [01:33:41]. The prevailing view is that if TikTok’s shareholders cared solely about money, they would be willing to divest [02:09:55]. If the CCP refuses to name a fair market price for divestment, it suggests a nefarious purpose beyond commercial interests [02:11:11]. While the company should not be forced to sell at less than fair market price, the refusal to engage in price discovery signals a non-economic motive [02:12:00].
The Biden administration has the power to extend the divestment window by 90 days [02:06:04]. Former President Trump, despite previously trying to ban TikTok, has flip-flopped on the issue [02:21:05]. This has been influenced by a large donation from a TikTok investor to a political action committee [02:22:04].# TikTok and National Security
The discussion around TikTok and its implications for U.S. national security has intensified, with government officials and experts raising concerns about data tracking, content manipulation, and unfair competition. This debate involves high-level administrative figures and has led to bipartisan action in Congress.
Core Concerns
Multiple dimensions contribute to the perception of TikTok as a national security threat:
- Data Tracking and Access The app is believed to be used to track data about Americans, with evidence suggesting that individuals in China are monitoring specific U.S. users [01:55:18]. The CEO of TikTok allegedly lied under oath to congressional committees regarding this, claiming data was stored in Texas and inaccessible to Chinese nationals [01:55:30]. However, there are on-the-record statements from people in China who had access to American user data [01:55:53].
- Chinese Law Compliance A fundamental problem is a Chinese law mandating that any Chinese company, upon request from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), must provide all user data without court intervention or subpoena [01:56:36]. This means any executive of such a company is subject to significant penalties for non-compliance [01:56:53].
- Content Manipulation There are suggestions that the TikTok app could be manipulated on a content basis to influence U.S. policy, create hostilities, or disadvantage specific interests [01:57:13].
- Unfair Competition A key concern is the competitive imbalance: Chinese companies like TikTok are allowed to operate in the U.S. market, while American content-based organizations like Meta and Google are blocked from the Chinese market [01:57:33].
Evidence and Political Response
The intensity of the concern was highlighted by a bipartisan vote in Congress to ban TikTok [01:58:29]. This overwhelming consensus—352 votes in the House to 58, and 79 to 18 in the Senate—occurred after an intelligence briefing to both the House and Senate intelligence committees [01:58:36], suggesting that confidential information spooked many elected officials [01:58:50].
!!! Info In 2022, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, reportedly used its app to track the location of journalists in an effort to trace leaks [01:56:19].
The possibility of a “back door” equivalent to Pegasus spyware within TikTok is a significant concern [01:58:17]. This type of backdoor could allow remote activation of microphones to listen in, leaving no fingerprints [02:00:51]. Given that U.S. Navy SEAL Special Forces and government officials are often not allowed to use these apps due to tracking concerns, it’s theorized that state actors could triangulate and monitor sensitive conversations [02:00:51].
The reluctance of the CCP to divest TikTok’s operations suggests they view it as a valuable strategic tool [02:07:54].
Proposed Solutions: Divestment and Ban
A U.S. appeals court upheld a January 19th deadline for divestment [01:33:41]. The prevailing view is that if TikTok’s shareholders cared solely about money, they would be willing to divest [02:09:55]. If the CCP refuses to name a fair market price for divestment, it suggests a nefarious purpose beyond commercial interests [02:11:11]. While the company should not be forced to sell at less than fair market price, the refusal to engage in price discovery signals a non-economic motive [02:12:00].
The Biden administration has the power to extend the divestment window by 90 days [02:06:04]. Former President Trump, despite previously trying to ban TikTok, has flip-flopped on the issue [02:21:05]. This has been influenced by a large donation from a TikTok investor to a political action committee [02:22:04].