Pompeo says US looking at banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that the United States is “certainly looking at” banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok, suggesting it shared information with the Chinese government, a charge it denied.
“I don’t want to get out in front of the president (Donald Trump), but it’s something we’re looking at,” Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News.
US lawmakers have raised national security concerns over TikTok’s handling of user data. Pompeo said Americans should be cautious in using the short video app owned by China-based ByteDance.
TikTok said it has never provided user data to China. “We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked,” TikTok said in a statement.