NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices, a probe that could lead to a settlement or a lawsuit against the company, according to a person familiar with the matter.
In its investigation, the FTC has been looking into whether TikTok violated a portion of federal law that prohibits “unfair and deceptive” business practices by denying that individuals in China had access to U.S. user data, said the person, who is not authorized to discuss the investigation.
FTC spokesperson Nicole Drayton and TikTok declined to comment on the investigation, which was first reported by Politico.
The agency is nearing the conclusion of its investigation and could settle with TikTok in the coming weeks.
Lawmakers and intelligence officials have said they worry the platform could be used by the Chinese government to access U.S. user data or influence Americans through its popular algorithm.
Persons:
TikTok, Nicole Drayton, there’s, Mark Warner, Marco Rubio, Lina Khan, ByteDance, hasn’t
Organizations:
Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Politico, TikTok, Justice Department, Republican, Buzzfeed, Buzzfeed News, The Financial Times, Senate
Locations:
Washington, U.S, Beijing, China