Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by janrinok on Sunday October 27 2019, @02:33AM   Printer-friendly
from the inscrutable-or-insclutable dept.

Submitted via IRC for soylent_brown

Lawmakers ask US intelligence to assess if TikTok is a security threat – TechCrunch

Two lawmakers have asked the government’s most senior U.S. intelligence official to assess if video-sharing app TikTok could pose “national security risks” to the United States.

In a letter by Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), the lawmakers asked the acting director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire if the app maker could be compelled to turn Americans’ data over to the Chinese authorities.

TikTok has some 110 million downloads to date and has spiked in popularity for its ability to record short, snappy videos that are sharable across social media networks. But the lawmakers say because TikTok is owned by a Beijing-based company, it could be compelled by the Chinese government to turn over user data — such as location data, cookies, metadata and more — even if it’s stored on servers it owns in the United States.

Both Schumer and Cotton warn that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is “still required to adhere” to Chinese law.

“Security experts have voiced concerns that China’s vague patchwork of intelligence, national security, and cybersecurity laws compel Chinese companies to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party,” the letter, dated Wednesday, said. “Without an independent judiciary to review requests made by the Chinese government for data or other actions, there is no legal mechanism for Chinese companies to appeal if they disagree with a request.”

That same legal principle works both ways. U.S. companies have been shut out, or had their access limited, in some nation states — including China — over fears that they could be compelled to spy on behalf of the U.S. government.

See also: TikTok explains its ban on political advertising


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by c0lo on Sunday October 27 2019, @05:55AM (1 child)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Sunday October 27 2019, @05:55AM (#912317) Journal

    There is no other solution.

    Oh, but there are. Many solution are possible.
    One of them: no international/multinational companies unless the laws of different incorporation/operation countries are homogeneous (e.g. EU).
    I.e Apple Ireland != Apple US, each of them have their own board and CEO and books and stockmarket quotations and obey the law of the country they operate in. Same for Google (sush... if you dare to utter "synergy", I'll let my ass laugh you out).

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +2  
       Interesting=2, Total=2
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   4  
  • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday October 27 2019, @02:36PM

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Sunday October 27 2019, @02:36PM (#912421) Homepage Journal

    I kind of thought that was implied in what I said. Incorporate in a country and you're bound by that nation's laws and only that nation's laws, excepting things like tariffs and such. One corporation incorporated in Ireland owns a corporation in the US, the one in Ireland has to obey Irish laws and the one in the US has to obey US laws. Mind you, if a corporation is wholly owned by another corporation, the child corp should be treated as if it were a sole proprietorship rather than a corporation for tax and liability purposes.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.