The usa FCC commissioner is stressful that Google and Apple ban TikTok

The commissioner of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FTC) accused TikTok of collecting user data and called on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores.

Chinese access to user data

Brendan Carr, FTC Commissioner, quoted a BuzzFeed News report that China had full access to user data.

The sound that escaped TikTok’s internal meetings indicated that China could access all user data from September 2021 to January 2022.

Time is of the essence because TikTok leaders testified in October 2021 that the U.S. security team decides who has access.

Against this background, Mr. Carr sent a letter to Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, and Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, asking them to take action to remove TikTok from their app stores.

The letter states that TikTok is not in compliance with Apple and Google’s terms and policies.

Commissioner wrote:

“Last week, a worrying new report highlighted the serious threats to national security posed by TikTok.

… TikTok is owned by the Beijing-based organization ByteDance – an organization responsible to the Communist Party of China that must comply with the PRC’s control requirements under Chinese law.

It is clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable risk to national security, as its extensive data collection is combined with Beijing’s apparently unverified access to this sensitive data.

… Therefore, I request that you use the plain text of your TikTok app store policies and remove it from your app stores because you do not comply with these terms. “

Google Developer Distribution Agreement requires that products available in the Google Play App Store protect users’ privacy.

FCC Commissioner he tweeted:

“TikTok is not just another video app.

It’s sheepskin.

It collects pieces of sensitive data that new reports show are available in Beijing.

I called on @Apple and @Google to remove TikTok from their app stores because of a pattern of hidden information. “

He too he tweeted:

“The pattern of Tiktok’s misrepresentation along with ownership of the entity responsible for the CCP has led U.S. military branches and national security agencies to ban the use of government facilities.

Bipartisan leaders in both the Senate and Parliament have expressed concern. “

TikTok is still available

TikTok remained available to both Apple in Google App Storedespite news of China’s ability to access sensitive user data from TikTok and a call from the FCC Commissioner to remove TikTok from Google’s app store.

Selected image: Dima Cantemir Ph / Shutterstock