National Security Concerns Surrounding TikTok

There are significant national security concerns linked to TikTok, particularly regarding its ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. U.S. government officials argue that allowing a platform controlled by the Chinese government to operate in the U.S. jeopardizes sensitive American data and communication. This concern is exacerbated by the belief that the Chinese government could potentially manipulate the app's algorithm to disseminate propaganda or misinformation to its 170 million users. The underlying issue is about who retains control over the platform and the data, which has raised debates about the implications of foreign ownership of social media companies in the U.S.