TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is currently facing an investigation by the United States Department of Justice and the FBI over rumors that the social media app is being used to spy on journalists.
The two departments are trying to determine the series of events that led the Chinese company to use TikTok as a means of spying. One source said that the DOJ Criminal Division, Fraud Section, is working with the Office of the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
TikTok Spying on US Journalists?
They have subpoenaed information from ByteDance regarding the company's employees' efforts to access US journalists' locations or other private user data using the app. Two other sources said that the FBI was also conducting interviews related to the surveillance.
The parent company's use of TikTok to conduct surveillance among citizens of the United States was first reported in October. In December, according to Forbes, an internal company investigation confirmed this situation.
In a statement, ByteDance spokesperson Jennifer Banks said that they were strongly condemning the actions of the individuals who were found to have been involved in the incident. She added that they were no longer employed by the company and noted that the internal investigation was ongoing.
On the other hand, the Office of the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DOJ did not immediately respond to the incident. Furthermore, the FBI declined to comment regarding the recent developments.
The report is the first regarding the federal government's investigation of the TikTok parent company's surveillance practices. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the DOJ's subpoena is related to the FBI's interviews.
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ByteDance's Surveillance Practices
Cristina Criddle, a UK-based journalist, was one of the targets of the alleged surveillance practice. She is known for leading a string of stories that revealed dozens of staff parted ways with TikTok's London office. According to the Financial Times, some were found to have worked 12-hour work days or were demoted after deciding to take some time off.
Employees of ByteDance located in China and the United States obtained Criddle's IP addresses and other personal data. They used these to assess whether or not she was near any ByteDance workers. Despite this incident, the company said that it found no information leaks.
The company was also found to have targeted a BuzzFeed reporter and several other users linked to the journalists through their TikTok accounts. On Thursday, ByteDance said they were cooperating with official investigations regarding the situation when they were brought to them.
The situation comes as ByteDance is facing mounting pressure urging it to sell its stake in TikTok. Company officials confirmed that American authorities warned them that TikTok could face a potential regional ban if its parent company does not separate itself from the video app.
In Congress, several lawmakers who have continuously criticized TikTok previously raised questions regarding its surveillance tactics. Engadget said they notably raised concern over ByteDance's acknowledgment that some of their employees inappropriately accessed US users' data.
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