The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alerted to security concerns posed by the Chinese-controlled social network TikTok.
According to Chris Wray, director of the FBI, control of the video application is in the hands of the Chinese government that controls the algorithm.
"This is all in the hands of a government that does not share our values, and that has a mission that is very at odds with what is in the best interests of the United States," Wray told an audience at the School of Politics Friday. Public Gerald R. Ford of the University of Michigan.
FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks at the University of Michigan on December 2, 2022. Carlos Osorio / AP
Wray had already shared his concerns weeks ago, telling a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that the Chinese government can use the app to influence American users and control their devices.
The FBI director stated that among his most urgent concerns is the possibility that the Chinese government could use TikTok to control the data collection of millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm.
In 2020, the Donald Trump Administration threatened to ban TikTok within the United States and pressured the technology company ByteDance to sell the social network to an American company.
[A mother sues TikTok for the death of her 10-year-old daughter during a viral challenge]
According to the FBI, US officials at all government agencies and TikTok are in talks for a deal that would resolve security concerns.
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In an email sent to The Associated Press news agency, TikTok spokeswoman Brooke Oberwetter stated that the FBI's contributions "are being considered" as part of ongoing negotiations with the United States government.
In addition, in September, in a Senate hearing, the director of operations of the social network, Vanessa Pappas, affirmed that the company has never shared data.
