Officials support the premise that the Chinese-owned app poses a national security threat.
A recent law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden could lead to the shutdown of TikTok if the China-based owner, ByteDance, does not sell. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged the social media app is sharing Americans’ social views with engineers in China. According to a recently filed brief, the Justice Department claimed TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, use an internal system called Lark to facilitate the communication of sensitive user data, including opinions on topics like abortion and religion, between U.S. employees and ByteDance engineers in China.
The brief states, “By directing ByteDance or TikTok to covertly manipulate that algorithm, China could, for example, further its existing malign influence operations and amplify its efforts to undermine trust in our democracy and exacerbate social divisions.”
Officials claim that TikTok and ByteDance employees can promote specific videos to increase their views—a practice known as “heating”—which could be used to disseminate divisive content. Also, TikTok is accused of using a tool to suppress content based on trigger words, a practice allegedly similar to ByteDance’s operations on an app in China.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For DOJ officials as they defend the legislation that would require the divestment of TikTok from China-based ownership.
- For the president, his advisors, and members of Congress as they evaluate threats to national security.
- For the judges of appellate courts as they hear requests to dismiss cases and appeals to lower court decisions.
Sources: Reuters, The Hill
