TikTok banned

Governments around the world are casting a wary eye toward employees using social media app TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.

So if I develop an exploit, a backdoor into a company, I can sell that exploit on the dark web multiple times at $10,000 a pop.” This is the first time the Biden administration has weighed in on legislation to deal with the app, which the White House says pose national security risks. So, how can employers better prepare for the onslaught? Some of its practices include the ability to track users, sometimes without their full consent or knowledge. Whereas maybe you’d have to implement such measures if you had medical data.” Some of those are adversarial to ours and they’re attacking infrastructure, organizations, our IP infrastructure, our connection infrastructure, the communications infrastructure, as well as our financial and banking infrastructure.

China appealed Friday to other governments to treat its companies fairly after Britain and New Zealand joined the United States in restricting use of TikTok ...

These changes could impact how you’re taxed when you file your 2023 income tax returns next year. As economic conditions make it harder to qualify for a mortgage, Canadians are increasingly looking to alternative lenders, particularly amid interest rates. The federal government's latest TFSA contribution limit increase took effect this year. [These are the new tax brackets for 2023](https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/these-are-the-new-tax-brackets-for-2023-1.6293874) ByteDance operates a sister short-video service, Douyin, that can be seen in China. [MORE Business News](https://www.ctvnews.ca/business) authorities were considering a ban if ByteDance doesn't sell the company. [Tips on how to get the most out of your TFSA](https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/tips-on-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-tfsa-1.6312338) In February, the White House told federal agencies to delete TikTok from government-issued mobile devices within 30 days. armed forces and more than half of American state governments prohibit use of the app by their employees. Legislators and employees in New Zealand's Parliament will be prohibited from having TikTok 's app on phones, the government said Friday. What it could mean for your mortgage](https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/thinking-of-an-alternative-lender-what-it-could-mean-for-your-mortgage-1.6312531)

NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer asks Georgetown University professor Anupam Chander about the constitutionality of a Biden administration ultimatum that TikTok be sold ...

This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. So we have lots of ability to gather data just by purchasing it on the open market, not to mention auditing and other systems to make sure that the data is well-protected. And I don't think the Biden administration will say it has to be done in 45 days, which was the Trump administration's guidelines, or said to be a very American corporation, which I think was the language that President Trump used. So we did require apps like Grindr, which is a dating app, to be sold. And the Biden administration is demanding that ByteDance sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban. The focus in the Trump administration seemed to be to pass it into the ownership of the hands of a company which was run by his political friends. PFEIFFER: And you may only have time for a yes or no answer to this. Or is it different? CHANDER: I think, right now, the case is in the hypothetical. CHANDER: It's certainly a legitimate concern, but it's one that we share with lots of apps. How is this attempt by Biden different? government is giving the Chinese owners of TikTok an ultimatum.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) threatened to ban TikTok if ByteDance wouldn't sell its stake. Any ban of TikTok in the U.S. would ...

government has a lot of work to do to provide clarity on what would happen if the app was to be banned. consumer information and the second is who has the ability to determine what information reaches U.S. "Trying to police data access is very, very difficult, especially when there's suspicion that the folks who are doing this have a reason to do it," Schmidt said. The company has developed an elaborate plan known as Project Texas that includes the vetting of its code in the U.S. [risk of being banned](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/16/tiktok-us-threatens-ban-if-chinese-parent-bytedance-doesnt-sell-stake.html) in the U.S. TikTok has sought to reassure the U.S. That issue resurfaced earlier this year, when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying across a large swath of the U.S. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. "It would just be a lot more difficult for the average person to do it without getting an advanced degree in computer security or something." [Oracle](/quotes/ORCL/) is the [cloud hosting service](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/delivering-on-our-us-data-governance) for all of TikTok usage in the U.S. The first is who can access U.S. And the app stores controlled by [Apple](/quotes/AAPL/) and [Shannon Reaves](https://www.stroock.com/people/sreaves), a partner in Stroock's CFIUS compliance group, said any requirement on a third party would not come from CFIUS, which is tasked with evaluating foreign investments alone.

NBC News spoke with four people who have studied cybersecurity, national security and technology policy who offered some ideas about how a TikTok ban could ...

If the U.S. The U.S. “There really wouldn’t be a way to circumvent the ban. “The ban does not address the key problem that TikTok poses, which is transfer of data,” Rostoum said. Officials could “ban VPN use or compel VPN companies to have a blacklist of sites that they will not permit the flow of traffic to,” Ghappour said. Beyond data privacy concerns with Chinese-owned companies, the U.S. did force the sale of an app. A ban would be difficult to enforce, he added, because there are always loopholes. Shortly following the ban, India’s Department of Telecommunications [ordered internet and wireless service providers](https://www.reuters.com/article/india-china-apps-idINKBN2425OH) to block the apps, TikTok among them. An app store ban would leave the app intact on phones where it was already downloaded. West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Center for Technology Innovation. [ persuade](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/tiktok-tries-sell-project-texas-fights-survival-us-rcna67697) U.S.

A growing wave of countries around the globe are banning TikTok on government devices and at large due to security concerns. Here's a running list.

TikTok said it is building data centers in Ireland and Norway to allow data from an estimated 150 million users in the region is stored locally, Insider [previously reported](https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-banned-in-uk-eu-government-despite-project-clover-2023-3). [Wired reported](https://www.wired.com/story/the-taliban-cant-stop-tiktok/) last month that several TikTok creators and influencers in the country saw their views dip, but then rise again after people began using VPNs and other measures to circumvent the ban. Analysts [have told Insider's](https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-meta-instagram-reels-tiktok-ban-2023-3) Grace Kay that a US ban would likely have the same effects it did in India, and competitors like Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube would see boosts in usage. Some of those bans have lasted only a few hours, according to the Post. Several universities [also banned](https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-universities-tiktok-ban-students-campus-wifi-greg-abbott-bytedance-2023-1) the app from being used on campus wireless networks. "The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices," said Oliver Dowden, a senior cabinet minister. Pakistan has introduced multiple temporary bans over content the government deemed inappropriate. [reported](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/08/03/its-not-just-united-states-these-governments-see-tiktok-growing-problem/). India placed bans on dozens of Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, in the weeks following the incident. "This decision has been made based on our own experts' analysis and following discussion with our colleagues across government and internationally," Parliamentary Service Chief Executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said, according to the AP. The ban reportedly will take effect at the end of March. "If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn't solve the problem: A change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access," a spokesperson told Insider this week.

New Zealand and the UK are the latest to ban TikTok in government devices. OPPO has launched its latest foldable smartphone, the Find N2 Flip.

[Read more.](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/oppo-find-n2-flip-launched-in-india-at-rs-89999--check-price-availability-and-more-16151791.htm) [Read more.](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/poco-x5-5g-launched-in-india-check-specs-features-and-price-16164161.htm) [newest large language model (LLM), GPT-4](https://www.cnbctv18.com/photos/technology/meet-gpt-4--the-most-advanced-ai-language-model-yet-16180181-2.htm). Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its [Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/microsoft-announces-copilot-for-work-an-ai-powered-feature-for-the-365-app-suite-16191781.htm)for Microsoft Office. Poco has launched a new X series smartphone in India, the Poco X5 5G. [Read more.](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/reddit-is-now-back-after-the-outage-here-is-all-that-happened-16170511.htm) This is the second major outage in a month that the website has experienced. This is the second wave of layoffs, with the company already having let go of 11,000 workers earlier. [Read more.](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/samsung-announces-the-galaxy-a54-5g-and-galaxy-a34-5g-in-india--check-details-pricing-and-availability-16187671.htm) [Read more.](https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/us-uk-new-zealand-and-others-ban-tiktok-on-government-devices-over-safety-concerns-16197061.htm) Despite being the world’s most downloaded app in 2022, TikTok is under the pressure of bans in several countries. Meanwhile, in the world of artificial intelligence, OpenAI has unveiled its highly anticipated GPT-4.

UK has removed app over concerns data can be monitored by Chinese state, but public remain vulnerable.

TikTok says it has not received a request from the Chinese government for its data and that, if it did, it would refuse. TikTok’s credibility was also damaged last year when ByteDance [admitted that employees](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/dec/22/tiktok-bytedance-workers-fired-data-access-journalists) had used the app to spy on reporters. “The bottom line is that if there is a cybersecurity issue for the government users, the same applies to all of us,” says Alan Woodward, a professor of cybersecurity at Surrey University. The similar functionality of TikTok and its Chinese sister app Douyin suggests overlap between the engineering teams, but the extent to which resources are shared has remained fuzzy. [China](https://www.theguardian.com/world/china) in Singapore and the US. The app’s much vaunted “For You” page has a complex recommendation algorithm that takes into account a huge range of signals, both explicit and implicit, to decide what content a given user should be shown. [BuzzFeed investigation](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilybakerwhite/tiktok-tapes-us-user-data-china-bytedance-access) revealed a rash of situations in which engineers in China would have access to US data, lasting at least until January 2022. [in its statement](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tiktok-banned-on-uk-government-devices-as-part-of-wider-app-review) explaining why it was taking the “prudent” step of removing TikTok from government-issued devices. TikTok has updated its privacy policy to tell European users that their data can be accessed in China – in specific circumstances. According to a report [by the Australian-US cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0](https://internet2-0.com/whitepaper/its-their-word-against-their-source-code-tiktok-report/), TikTok’s app can access a user’s calendar, other running applications, wifi networks, and even the sim card serial number. Could the Chinese state demand access to data generated by TikTok’s global user base and, for instance, create profiles of people it is interested in, such as government employees in other countries? We answer your questions about why TikTok has become a [lightning rod](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/16/will-uk-follow-us-in-demanding-tiktok-be-sold-by-its-chinese-owner) for suspicion of Chinese state espionage – and whether nationwide bans are likely.

Momentum in the US is growing for an outright ban on TikTok, the globally popular video-scrolling app with more than 110 million users in America alone, ...

[China](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/03/07/chinese-foreign-minister-warns-china-and-us-on-course-for-conflict/), Russia, North Korea, [Iran](https://thenationalnews.com/tags/iran), Venezuela and Cuba. Critics also say TikTok and short video-scrolling apps like it are bad for users' mental health and attention spans, particularly that of teenagers. [TikTok's Chinese owners divest their stakes](https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/03/17/tiktok-ban-us/) in the popular video app or face a possible US ban, the company said.

Many countries have already partially turned their backs on TikTok, with the Chinese social network being banned in several states at the government level ...

- United States: The White House was one of the first countries to go against TikTok. - New Zealand: This latest country to join the list. UK Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden stressed that the decision is effective immediately. Even countries such as the United States are considering a total shutdown. [This is the video of the spectacular collision of a U.S. drone and a Russian fighter jet in the Black Sea.](https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/world-news/2023/03/16/641313cf22601dc02c8b4568.html)

TikTok has been facing the heat as several government agencies and experts have accused it of sharing user data with the Chinese government.

India: The country was one of the first ones to prohibit TikTok and other Chinese apps in 2020 soon after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a confrontation with Chinese troops along their disputed Himalayan border. United States: Earlier in March, the President Joe Biden’s administration told government agencies that they have 30 days to delete the app from federal devices and systems. Canada: Soon after the US government’s announcement, Canada also issued orders prohibiting the use of TikTok on government-related devices. “We must not be naive: TikTok is a Chinese company which today is obliged to cooperate with the intelligence services. However, the company has denied the allegations and said that it is run independently by its own management, Time magazine reported. The officials said that the ban would come into effect at the end of the month.

The Biden administration has threatened to ban the popular social-media app if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, declines to divest its stake.

[Canadian companies to consider blocking the app](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-tiktok-ban-should-make-canadian-companies-review-social-media-and/) on work phones since it collects everything from e-mail addresses and phone numbers to the content uploaded and information on users’ keystroke patterns, battery levels, audio settings and locations. What to know about the app’s data harvesting](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tiktok-canada-ban-privacy-concerns/) Some TikTokers believe that the ban isn’t related to national security, but rather the result of political meddling by Meta because of increased competition. [would not provide any more protection](https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-ceos-message-to-washington-a-sale-wont-solve-security-concerns-94a8606) than the company’s current plan: ensuring U.S. Beginning in 2021, TikTok launched the Creator Fund for users with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views during a 30-day period. [India banned TikTok](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-india-bans-59-apps-mostly-chinese-amid-border-crisis/) and WeChat in response to a border clash between India and China in a disputed Himalayan region. The app is also blocked in Afghanistan. Here’s what you need to know](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-tiktok-ban-canada/) [Should I delete TikTok? In addition to denying any involvement by the Chinese government, TikTok chief executive officer Shou Zi Chew has stated that selling the app would not address U.S. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Chew said that such a move A nationwide ban would face significant legal and societal hurdles, since TikTok is popular with more than 100 million Americans and an app has never been banned in the country. This isn’t the first time a potential ban on TikTok has been threatened.

The app TikTok has received a great deal of attention from governments, over security concerns and potential links to Chinese surveillance.

parties introduced a bill that would let the president ban social media apps from foreign nations. in banning it on government phones. government should respect the principles of market economy and fair competition, stop suppressing the companies and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies in the U.S.” governement’s attempts to ban the app. In response, Hilary McQuaide, a TikTok spokesperson, told Forbes the employees had been fired. The company has said this no longer happens. While ByteDance maintains it does not share user information with China, there’s the possibility the app could be used by China to suppress certain types of videos or spread information. Another contentious bit of data collection involves what’s called “biometric” data, such as faceprints and voiceprints. It collects, Andrey explained, a lot of data about individual users, such as IP address and physical location. It hosts user-created content in short to medium-length videos. That’s the sheep’s clothing.” Article content

Nearly two-and-a-half years after the Trump administration threatened to ban TikTok in the United States if it didn't divest from its Chinese owners, ...

That’s still a lot of personally revealing information, but it doesn’t imply that TikTok’s app itself is inherently malicious or a kind of spyware. The main issue is that the public has few ways of verifying whether or how that leverage has been exercised. Some critics at the time blasted then-president Donald Trump’s crusade against the app as political theater rooted in xenophobia, calling out Trump’s unusual suggestion that the United States [should get a “cut” of any deal](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/05/tech/tiktok-trump-treasury-microsoft/index.html) if it forced the app’s sale to an American firm. The best way to address concerns about national security is with the transparent, US-based protection of US user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification, which we are already implementing.” Others have raised alarms over the possibility that the Chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda to a US audience. China has national security laws that require companies under its jurisdiction to cooperate with a broad range of security activities. TikTok is really only a national security risk insofar as the Chinese government may have leverage over TikTok or its parent company. Some in Washington have expressed concerns that the app could be infiltrated by the Chinese government to essentially spy on American users or gain access to US user data. The Biden administration eventually rescinded the Trump-era executive order targeting TikTok, but replaced it with a broader directive focused on investigating technology linked to foreign adversaries, including China. Suddenly, TikTok’s future in the United States appears more uncertain – but this time, it comes after years in which the app has only “Misinformation and propaganda has no place on our platform, and our users do not expect that,” he said. (CFIUS is the same group that previously forced a

And while Spotify did not launch in the U.S. until it had signed deals with the major record labels, YouTube, for the first couple of years of its existence, ...

Conversely, the explosion of new music on all these services is making it more and more difficult for new music to be discovered; and the unparalleled ease of posting original videos to clips from well-known songs on TikTok has resulted in more exposure of old “catalog” music—such as the astounding revival of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit “Dreams” in a TikTok video in 2020 that resulted in the song re-entering the charts and the Rumours album hitting No. So what would happen to the music industry if TikTok were to go away? That’s one trend that the major music companies, and the private equity firms that are buying up catalogs of legacy musical artists, would love to encourage. In contrast, the biggest music stars on TikTok (based on And some artists resent having to feed that beast every day (in addition to all the other social networks), so this trend will increase the proportion of social-media-savvy artists who hit the top of the charts—and increase the amount of nagging that labels and artist managers have to do to keep them there. To understand the impact on the music industry if TikTok were to disappear from the U.S. The main impetus for this is TikTok’s emphasis on short clips, whereas YouTube allowed up to the length of most songs from its earliest days. Another sign of TikTok’s further autonomy is its ability to create its own music stars independently of the record label system. The same has been true of TikTok, except that TikTok did specifically have music in mind early on when it acquired Musical.ly, another Chinese app that enabled users to create lip-sync videos. YouTube has taken the music industry on a journey that TikTok is extending today. This makes it more difficult for the real artists to establish their identities on the service; the focus is on users, not musical artists. Concerns over Chinese surveillance and inappropriate content have led to a crescendo of voices supporting a ban on TikTok in the United States—which would then follow bans on the app’s use on government-issued devices in the U.S.