DOJ accuses TikTok of collecting users’ data on sensitive subjects

THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS ACCUSING TIKTOK OF GATHERING AMERICANS’ DATA ON SENSITIVE CONTENT AND CENSORED TOPICS.

THEY SAY TIKTOK’S CHINESE OWNER – BYTEDANCE – HAD TIKTOK GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT USERS’ VIEWS ON SOCIAL ISSUES – INCLUDING GUN CONTROL, ABORTION, AND RELIGION.

IN A DOCUMENT FILED FRIDAY, THE D-O-J SAID AN INTERNAL WEB SYSTEM CALLED “LARK” – WHICH ALLOWS TIKTOK EMPLOYEES TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH BYTEDANCE – WAS USED TO GATHER THE INFORMATION. 

D-O-J LAWYERS SAY THE INFORMATION WAS STORED ON CHINESE SERVERS AND ACCESSIBLE BY BYTEDANCE EMPLOYEES IN CHINA. 

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S COURT FILINGS COME IN RESPONSE TO A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TIKTOK FILED IN MAY – ARGUING A NEW LAW THAT SAYS TIKTOK MUST EITHER BE SOLD OR BANNED IN THE U-S VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF ITS MILLIONS OF AMERICAN USERS. 

UNDER THAT LAW BYTEDANCE HAS TO SELL TIKTOK BY MID-JANUARY – OR IT WILL BE COMPLETELY BANNED. 

THE LAW’S SUPPORTERS SAY IT’S AN EFFORT TO STOP POTENTIAL SPYING ON AMERICANS AND PREVENT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FROM INFLUENCING THE CONTENT THAT TIKTOK SHOWS USERS. 

TIKTOK HAS SAID IT WOULD *NOT* DO THOSE THINGS, IF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TIED TO DEMAND IT.