Senators demand declassification of details about TikTok and ByteDance
Lawmakers who have attended secret briefings on the programme are now demanding that intelligence officials declassify details relating to social media giant TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance.
Here's What We Know
After receiving classified information about the programme, the senators are asking the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to disclose this information to the public. They are very concerned about the possible national security threats that the app could pose. The senators believe that it is important to disclose these details to the public, especially to TikTok users, so that they can understand the threats to the state.
The Axios report highlights how one of the lawmakers expressed concern that TikTok could spy on the microphone on users' devices and track keystrokes and determine the actions of smartphone owners in other applications.
Furthermore, it is important to note that TikTok has long denied allegations that its ties to parent company ByteDance could allow the Chinese government to interfere with its operations or even spy on US users. To date, no public evidence has been released that TikTok has ever been used for such purposes.
Source: Engadget