China’s authorities might use TikTok to manage knowledge on tens of millions of American customers, FBI Director Christopher Wray advised a US Senate listening to on Wednesday, saying the Chinese language-owned video app “screams” of safety issues.
Wray advised a Senate Intelligence Committee listening to on worldwide threats to US safety that the Chinese language authorities might additionally use TikTok to manage software program on tens of millions of gadgets and drive narratives to divide Individuals over Taiwan or different points.
“Sure, and I’d make the purpose on that final one, specifically, that we’re unsure that we’d see most of the outward indicators of it taking place if it was taking place,” Wray mentioned of issues China might feed misinformation to customers.
“This can be a instrument that’s finally inside the management of the Chinese language authorities – and it, to me, it screams out with nationwide safety issues,” Wray mentioned.
The White Home backed laws launched on Tuesday by a dozen senators to provide President Joe Biden’s administration new powers to ban TikTok and different foreign-based applied sciences in the event that they pose nationwide safety threats. The endorsement boosted efforts by plenty of lawmakers to ban the favored app, which is owned by Chinese language firm ByteDance and utilized by greater than 100 million Individuals.
Different high US intelligence officers together with Director of Nationwide Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA Director William Burns and Nationwide Safety Company Director Paul Nakasone agreed on the listening to that TikTok posed a menace to US nationwide safety.
Nakasone on Tuesday expressed concern throughout Senate testimony about TikTok’s knowledge assortment and potential to facilitate broad affect operations.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
