If you use TikTok, you may be feeding information to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence services. That’s a warning from cyber security expert Casey Fleming, CEO of strategic advisory firm BlackOps Partners.
In a recent interview with Epoch TV’s “Wide Angle” program, Fleming explained the dangers posed by foreign-controlled cell-phone applications like TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based internet giant ByteDance.
“We must assume,” he said, “that every one of these applications coming from China, Russia, and other declared adversaries of the United States—we have to assume that these applications are weaponized against us.”
TikTok, the hugely popular short-format video app that allows users to create, share and view 15-second videos often featuring singing, dancing, or comedy, was launched in China as “Douyin” in September 2016, and within a year it had 100 million Chinese users.
The app was relaunched as TikTok internationally in September 2017. Attracting dozens of A-list celebrity users, and partnerships with the NBA, NFL, and Comedy Central, TikTok quickly became one of the most popular apps in the world.
Read More: TikTok Users Are Feeding Data to CCP Intelligence Agencies, Cyber Experts Warn
