Does TikTok threaten US national security?

TikTok in the Apple app store.

TikTok in the Apple app store. Credit: https://apps.apple.com/.

TikTok is popular among teens, who are using it for videos, memes, and lip-synching. But unlike Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, its origins aren’t in Silicon Valley, but rather in Beijing. And like many Chinese-owned Internet platforms or tech giants, there are big concerns over the Chinese Communist Party’s involvement. That’s why Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Schumer sent a letter to intelligence officials last week, asking the intelligence community to determine whether TikTok poses a national security threat.

Credits

Guest:

  • Samm Sacks - Cybersecurity Policy and China Digital Economy Fellow at New America

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Alexandra Sif Tryggvadottir, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Devan Schwartz