China has condemned the U.S. ban on TikTok, saying it has been “abusing state power.”
Congress and more than half of U.S. states have banned Tik Tok From government-issued mobile devices due to cybersecurity concerns.
Two-thirds of U.S. teens use TikTok, but Washington is concerned that China could use its legal and regulatory powers to obtain private user data or spread misinformation or narratives that favor China.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the U.S. government had “exaggerated the concept of national security and abused state power to suppress foreign companies.”
On Washington’s sense of insecurity, Ms. Ning said: “As the world’s number one superpower, how uncertain is the US of itself that it would be so afraid of a young person’s favorite app?”
TikTok is one of many issues that have escalated tensions between the two countries.
trading, Computer chips that allegedly stole tech data Taiwan National Securityand the emergence of suspects Chinese spy balloon Both were shot down in the US earlier this month, both straining their relationship.
Canada banned the app from all government-issued devices on Monday, European Commission A week ago – both as a cybersecurity precaution.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “I suspect that as the government takes the important step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones, there may be a choice.”
Meanwhile, China has long imposed a ban on several foreign social media platforms and messaging apps, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
TikTok has challenged the ban, saying it has no chance to respond, while governments are cutting themselves off from platforms loved by millions.