The Justice Department has recently accused the social media app TikTok of gathering sensitive user data on controversial social issues such as abortion and gun control.
The accusations were detailed in documents filed at a Washington appeals court. According to the DOJ, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance used an internal communication system called Lark, which allowed TikTok employees to communicate with ByteDance engineers in China. This system allegedly facilitated the collection of user opinions on various social and religious topics, with the data being stored on Chinese servers accessible to ByteDance employees.
The DOJ warned that this data collection could be exploited by the Chinese government for “covert content manipulation.” The brief stated, “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.”
This concern has led to bipartisan discussions among U.S. lawmakers about potentially banning TikTok due to national security risks.
A TikTok spokesperson has responded to the controversy, arguing that banning the app would violate the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech. Despite these assurances, the DOJ’s allegations have intensified the debate over TikTok’s presence in the United States, highlighting the ongoing concerns about data privacy and national security.
