DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Tiktok ban: Chinese owner Bytedance denies it’s willing to sell as US ban looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In the statement, Bytedance attached screenshots of the Information’s report, which cited three people with knowledge of deliberations. Under what is now US law, TikTok is forced to find a new owner within months or be banned from the United States entirely, its biggest market with 170 million users. The Chinese government has previously said it strongly opposes a forced sale of TikTok, and has the legal ability to do so. In particular, they worry that TikTok could share data with the Chinese government or manipulate content displayed on its platform. But as a China-based company, ByteDance is subject to a myriad of national intelligence, data security and cybersecurity laws.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, ByteDance, Joe Biden, Bytedance, TikTok, Shou Chew, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, “, ByteDance, National Intelligence Law Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Israel, Ukraine, United States, India

☆ The TikTok divest-or-ban bill is a First Amendment disaster, but it may still stand up in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Maybe…Earlier attempts to ban or force a sale of TikTok often haven't stood up in court. Other parties, like TikTok creators, may launch separate legal challenges in the coming weeks, as they have done in the past. AdvertisementTrump's 2020 order to ban TikTok was halted by a federal judge who said it likely exceeded executive authority. While the bill is framed around forcing US ownership of TikTok, it's likely to result in a ban, which strengthens the free-speech argument. Congress hasn't proven that an outright sale or ban of TikTok is the only way to protect national-security interests.

Persons: Joe Biden, ByteDance, TikTok, haven't, TikTokers, Matthew Schettenhelm, Hans, Lena Shapiro, Ramya Krishnan Organizations: Service, Business, ACLU, Bloomberg Intelligence, Cornell Law School, TikTok, University of Illinois College of Law, Chinese Communist Party, Intelligence Law, CCP, Columbia University Locations: Montana, Texas, Washington, China

☆ TikTok: Is it really Chinese?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Is TikTok Chinese? In March 2023, CEO Chew was repeatedly pressed by US lawmakers on whether TikTok was Chinese. According to TikTok’s own website, its subsidiaries around the world are all structured under Bytedance Ltd.Is ByteDance Chinese? At last year’s congressional hearing, Chew didn’t directly answer any questions about whether ByteDance is a Chinese company either. That means the Chinese government now owns 1% of Beijing Douyin Information Service, which is the domestic Chinese unit of Bytedance.

Persons: TikTok, Shou Chew, Trump, Chew, Jose Luis Magana, Musical.ly, TikTok’s, ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, Liang Rubo, Zhang, Liang, Jinri, Chew didn’t, Shannon Stapleton, Zhang Fuping, Xi Jinping, Wu Shugang, Shu Yuting Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, TikTok LLC, TikTok Ltd, ByteDance Ltd, Bytedance Ltd, Tianjin’s Nankai University, ByteDance, Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, Susquehanna International Group, Reuters, Communist, Cyberspace Administration, Beijing Douyin Information Service, Chinese Communist Party, National Intelligence Law, Commerce Ministry Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, California, Los Angles, Singapore, Delaware, Culver City , California, Cayman Islands, Shanghai, Chinese, TikTok

☆ Trump says a TikTok ban would empower Meta, slams Facebook as 'enemy of the people'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday raised concerns about efforts to ban Chinese-owned social media app TikTok in the U.S., saying it would only serve to empower Meta's Facebook platform. "Without TikTok, you can make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people," Trump, who was formerly U.S. president between 2017 and 2021, said in a CNBC TV interview on Monday. Acknowledging his concerns around national security and data privacy over TikTok, Trump said "there's a lot of good and there's a lot of bad" with the platform. China's National Intelligence Law of 2017 requires organizations and citizens to "support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work." In 2020, the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to have TikTok removed from app stores in the U.S. due to these concerns.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, ByteDance Organizations: Facebook, CNBC, Meta, National Intelligence, TikTok, Microsoft, TikTok's Locations: U.S, Beijing

☆ TikTok is building a data-sharing solution called 'PrivacyGo' as it looks to grab ad dollars
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Dan Whateley | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok is building a solution that works like a data clean room called PrivacyGo. PrivacyGo may boost TikTok's pitch to brands as regulations and privacy rules weaken ad targeting. TikTok is developing a new privacy-tech solution for advertisers called PrivacyGo, a company spokesperson confirmed to Insider. Though TikTok is a much smaller ad seller compared to Google, Meta, and Amazon, it has been building solutions to entice advertiser budgets. In February, it rolled out new ad tools for small businesses — the types of companies that account for the most ad revenue on Meta and Google.

Persons: TikTok, PrivacyGo, Myles Younger Organizations: Apple, Tech, Google, Meta, United, Government, National Intelligence Law Locations: United States, Beijing

☆ UK to remove Chinese-made surveillance equipment from sensitive government sites
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 7 (Reuters) - Britain has committed to the removal of Chinese-made surveillance equipment from sensitive government sites as part of its latest plans to address national security concerns related to China. Under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has cast China as the world's greatest challenge to security and prosperity, the government told its departments last year to stop installing Chinese-linked surveillance cameras at sensitive buildings. In an announcement setting out a proposed tightening of procurement rules, the government said:"We will also commit to publish a timeline for the removal of surveillance equipment produced by companies subject to China’s National Intelligence Law from sensitive central government sites. Beijing has said it "firmly opposes" overstretching the concept of national security to suppress Chinese enterprises. Some U.S. states have banned vendors and products from several Chinese technology companies.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Hikvision, Muvija Organizations: China’s National Intelligence, Government, Huawei, Thomson Locations: Britain, China, Beijing, U.S

☆ Factbox: Why does the US want to ban TikTok? The allegations against it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Members of Congress in March complained that the Chinese government has a "golden share" in ByteDance, giving it power over TikTok. He asserted the TikTok platform could enable sweeping influence operations because TikTok could proactively influence users and could also "turn off the message." TikTok says it "does not permit any government to influence or change its recommendation model." -TikTok will hand American's data over to Chinese government officialsLawmakers have alleged that the Chinese government, under a 2017 National Intelligence law, can force ByteDance to share TikTok user data. "-TikTok spies on journalistsIn December, ByteDance said some employees improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists.

☆ An explosive new lawsuit claims TikTok's owner built a 'backdoor' the CCP could exploit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Dan Whateley | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

ByteDance allowed a Chinese Communist Party unit to censor content and access data, a new lawsuit alleges. ByteDance built a "backdoor channel" to enable CCP access to US user data, the suit alleges. An explosive new lawsuit claims TikTok owner ByteDance built a "backdoor channel" in its code that allowed Chinese Communist Party members access to user data hosted in the US. Yu is a former engineering lead for ByteDance in the US who worked at the company between 2017 and 2018. The complaint alleges the "Committee continued to have access" to US user data even after ByteDance walled off access for individual engineers in China.

☆ An explosive new lawsuit claims TikTok's owner built a 'backdoor' that allowed the CCP to access US user data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Dan Whateley | Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ The TikTok hearing is mostly lawmakers berating the CEO and loudly asking 'Yes or no?' to detailed questions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Dan Whateley | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

TikTok CEO Shou Chew appeared before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Thursday. Chew's remarks were often cut short as Congress members pressed him for "yes" or "no" responses. "Welcome to the most bipartisan committee in Congress," Republican Rep. Earl LeRoy "Buddy" Carter said, addressing Chew as "Mr. Chew's responses to questions were often cut short as members of Congress asked for shorter "yes" or "no" responses. In the days leading up to the committee hearing, TikTok helped arrange a press conference with Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman that it described as a push "in support of free expression."

☆ Rep. Jamaal Bowman says the push to ban TikTok is 'xenophobic' and 'part of another Red Scare'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But Rep. Jamaal Bowman — among the most prolific TikTokers in Congress — is pushing back. And amid growing bipartisan calls in Washington for a nationwide ban on the popular video-sharing app, he's decided to speak up. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers increasingly speak of TikTok as a potential vector for malign influence from the Chinese Communist Party. "Me being against a ban of TikTok is not about thinking TikTok is the greatest thing ever, and that there aren't regulations and reforms needed." The Biden administration, meanwhile, is threatening to ban TikTok if ByteDance doesn't sell its stake in the company.

☆ TikTok could be banned in the US unless the app’s Chinese owners sell their stakes. The Biden administration is demanding it, WSJ reports.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US is threatening TikTok's Chinese owners with a US ban if they don't sell their stakes, according to the WSJ. TikTok has responded saying the forced sale won't address the perceived national security risk. Still, TikTok's leadership is considering splitting from ByteDance to work around the national security concerns, Bloomberg reported. In December, the Senate voted to ban TikTok on government devices, and several states have since introduced full or partial bans of the app. Universities have also made moves to ban TikTok.

☆ A TikTok ban or forced sale could lead to major collateral damage for US tech companies like Apple and Chinese apps like Shein
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"A big Chinese balloon in the sky and millions of Chinese TikTok balloons on our phones. But US tech companies that rely on data collection for advertising sales or other business practices have fought to curb such regulations. Still, efforts by members of Congress to pass federal legislation around data privacy, such as the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, have faced an uphill battle. Apple's 2021 user privacy changes stunted ad revenue at Facebook and Snapchat-maker Snap, for example. But blocking companies from gathering private information from users could also be a more effective path to protecting Americans while maintaining an avenue for Chinese companies to participate in the global economy.

☆ The war against TikTok won't solve the 'national embarrassment' of how poorly the US protects your data
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"A big Chinese balloon in the sky and millions of Chinese TikTok balloons on our phones. TikTok has hurt its own cause when it comes to its reputation around data privacy. For example, the company misrepresented how US user data was managed and then its parent company monitored the locations of reporters who exposed its practices. Still, efforts by members of Congress to pass federal legislation around data privacy, such as the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, have faced an uphill battle. Apple's 2021 user privacy changes stunted ad revenue at Facebook and Snapchat-maker Snap, for example.

☆ A growing group of lawmakers think TikTok is 'digital fentanyl' and want to ban it. Many others remain skeptical.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Some members of Congress have begun pushing to ban TikTok in the US. "I'm a little less enthusiastic about an all-out ban of it," said Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. "I'm an incrementalist on a lot of things, and I would be on this as well," said Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on social media and the internet's impact on children. Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, another committee member, said she's most concerned about how social media platforms are impacting kids.

Sydney/Hong Kong CNN —Australia’s defense ministry will remove Chinese-made cameras from its offices over spying concerns, the country’s Minister for Defence Richard Marles has said. The concerns were raised by Senator James Paterson of the opposition Liberal Party, who said Wednesday that he had conducted an “audit” of Chinese-made security devices in use on Australian government premises. The audit found 913 devices, including cameras, access control systems and intercoms, made by Chinese-state owned enterprises Hikvision and Dahua, Paterson noted. “These companies have a very close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, and they are subject to China’s National Intelligence laws, which require all Chinese companies and individuals to secretly cooperate with Chinese intelligence agencies if requested,” Paterson said in a radio interview Wednesday. And where those particular cameras are found they’re going to be removed.”Asked about the Australian government’s concerns over Chinese-made cameras, a spokesperson for Beijing’s foreign affairs ministry said China opposes “generalizing national security, abuse of state power and acts that discriminate and suppress Chinese companies.”

The difference with TikTok is that the app has kept out of the crosshairs of commercial interests in Europe. "The user base of TikTok is a lot bigger than a lot of people in Europe think," he said. More than half of people aged 16 to 24 in France and Germany use TikTok, according to data.ai. He is worried the platform poses "several unacceptable risks for European users," including "data access by Chinese authorities, censorship, [and] tracking of journalists." Why Europe's tone is changingLast month, ByteDance admitted to using two journalists' TikTok data to locate their physical movements, according to a widely-reported internal memo.

☆ Here's a full list of the US states that have introduced full or partial TikTok bans on government devices over mounting security concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

North Carolina and Wisconsin are the latest US states to ban TikTok on government devices. There are growing concerns that Chinese-owned apps share user data with its government. Many states have extended the ban to other Chinese-owned apps and platforms like Weibo, WeChat, Alibaba and Huawei Technologies. A number of states began banning the app as awareness about security issues increased. Here's a list of all 27 states that have prohibited the use of TikTok on state devices.

☆ Ohio and New Jersey ban Tiktok on government devices over Chinese surveillance fears, joining over 20 other states
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New Jersey and Ohio are the latest states to ban TikTok on government-owned devices. New Jersey's governor Phil Murphy announced a cybersecurity order on Monday, to "prohibit the use of high-risk software and services," on government owned devices. "The proactive and preventative measures that we are implementing today will ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and safety of information assets managed by New Jersey State government. A growing number of states have banned TikTok from government devices since December including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and more. An analysis by website Government Technology, published before the New Jersey and Ohio bans were announced, shows more than 20 states have banned TikTok on government devices.

☆ Hikvision: UK bans Chinese surveillance cameras from 'sensitive' sites
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN Business —Hikvision, a leading Chinese surveillance company, has denied suggestions that it poses a threat to Britain’s national security after the UK government banned the use of its camera systems at “sensitive” sites. Dowden cited “the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems,” without specifying further. The minister added that departments could review whether sites not deemed sensitive should also be taking similar measures. The United States in 2019 placed Hikvision and other Chinese companies on a trade blacklist, prohibiting them from importing US technology over similar allegations. Hikvision, in its statement, said its cameras were compliant with UK laws and “subject to strict security requirements.”Dahua did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ UK restricts Chinese cameras in government buildings over security fears
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday instructed government departments to stop installing security cameras made by companies subject to Chinese security laws, disconnect such devices from core computer networks and to consider removing them altogether. "The review has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required," Dowden said. "Departments have therefore been instructed to cease deployment of such equipment onto sensitive sites, where it is produced by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People’s Republic of China. "Since security considerations are always paramount around these sites, we are taking action now to prevent any security risks materialising." Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, writing by William James; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "National Intelligence Law"

21 mentions found