Chinese-backed apps gain popularity in US despite security concerns

As U.S. lawmakers continue to scrutinize the popular social media app TikTok, and mulls over a potential ban on the app in the country, other Chinese-linked apps are rising in popularity among American users. Despite concerns over data privacy, four of the top 10 most downloaded apps across the App Store and Google Play store in the past 30 days are owned by Chinese companies.

Temu, TikTok, CapCut and Shein, collectively accounted for over 30 million U.S. downloads between Feb. 26 and Mar 26. 2023. Axios notes, while an increasing number of Chinese apps are becoming popular to download, these apps still struggle to provide American users with the same sense of daily utility as those made by U.S. companies.

On the other hand, American apps have not gained the same traction in China, mainly because the Chinese government blocks or bans most of them, including Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitch and WhatsApp.

In turn, analysts note that this is benefiting Beijing, as the strict control of tech firms and algorithms in China has given them an advantage in creating highly successful apps. Chinese companies are able to “leverage China’s one billion internet users to test user preferences and optimize their AI models at home, then export the tech overseas,” The Wall Street Journal reports.

However, with uncertainty surrounding the extent to which Chinese entities can access U.S. user information, American lawmakers are increasingly concerned about the potential national security implications, with TikTok being the primary focus.