In a recent legal confrontation, the U.S. Justice Department has leveled serious accusations against TikTok, alleging that the social media platform collected bulk information on American users based on their views on contentious issues such as abortion, gun control, and religion.
According to a brief filed with the federal appeals court in Washington, TikTok and its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance utilized an internal web-suite system known as Lark. This system allowed TikTok employees to directly communicate with ByteDance engineers in China, facilitating the transfer of sensitive data about U.S. users.
Also Read: SpaceX Dragon Returns to West Coast for Safer Recovery Operations
The court documents reveal that TikTok employees used Lark to send detailed information about users’ content and expressions, including their views on sensitive topics. This data, federal officials claim, has been stored on Chinese servers and is accessible to ByteDance employees in China.
One of Lark’s search tools, the filing states, permits both ByteDance and TikTok employees in the U.S. and China to collect information on users’ content, including their opinions on controversial subjects like abortion and religion.
Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that TikTok had tracked users who viewed LGBTQ content through a now-deleted dashboard. The new court documents represent the Justice Department’s first significant response in the ongoing legal battle over TikTok’s future in the U.S. Under a law signed by President Joe Biden in April, TikTok could face a ban if it does not sever ties with ByteDance within a few months.
The Justice Department has raised concerns about potential “covert content manipulation” by the Chinese government, suggesting that TikTok’s algorithms might be designed to influence the content users receive. They warn that the practice of “heating,” where certain videos are promoted to garner more views, could be used for more sinister purposes beyond curating popular content.
As the legal proceedings continue, the future of TikTok remains uncertain, with significant implications for the platform’s more than 170 million American users.
Key Points:
- Government Accusations: The U.S. Justice Department accuses TikTok of collecting bulk information on American users based on their views on sensitive issues like abortion, gun control, and religion.
- Internal Communication: TikTok employees used an internal web-suite system called Lark to share sensitive user data with ByteDance engineers in China.
- Data Storage and Access: The data collected was allegedly stored on Chinese servers and accessible to ByteDance employees in China.
- Sensitive Data Collection: The Justice Department claims that Lark’s search tools allowed for the collection of information on users’ content and expressions, including opinions on controversial topics.
- Previous Reports: Last year, it was reported that TikTok had tracked users who watched LGBTQ content through a now-deleted dashboard.
- Legal Implications: The filing represents a major defense by the government in the legal battle over TikTok’s future in the U.S., with potential implications for the platform’s more than 170 million American users.
- Potential Ban: Under a law signed by President Biden in April, TikTok could face a ban if it does not cut ties with ByteDance within a few months.
- Concerns of Manipulation: The Justice Department warns of possible “covert content manipulation” by the Chinese government and the potential misuse of TikTok’s algorithm for shaping content.
