Former employees of TikTok revealed that the app’s claim to wall off U.S. user data from its parent company, ByteDance, was not entirely accurate. They explained that while there was a front door that everyone was aware of, the back door to access the network was left wide open through internal computer systems controlled by ByteDance.
Despite efforts to separate U.S. data from China, TikTok employees still had to share user data, including U.S. data, within the company’s network. The ex-employees noted that decisions made by the U.S. Data Security team had to be on a Chinese server, raising concerns about data security and control.
Other former TikTok employees have supported these claims, stating that the app continued to work closely with ByteDance, even after claiming otherwise. This has raised concerns about the app’s ties to a foreign country.
In response to recent legislation signed by President Biden, which requires ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months or face a ban in the U.S., TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew announced plans to challenge the law in court. ByteDance, on the other hand, expressed a preference for TikTok to shut down in the U.S. if legal challenges fail.
As the controversy continues, it remains to be seen how TikTok will address the concerns raised by its former employees and navigate the legal challenges ahead.
