Over the weekend,?? ?? ??? I was followed by a new official Twitter account run by the viral video app TikTok.
At first glance, the account, @tiktok_comms, seems like just an avenue for TikTok’s press team to update the public on news about the company.
But, with the launch of a new website on Monday, it's clear that it's part of a broader effort by the company to pushback on misinformation as President Donald Trump’s seeks to ban TikTok from the U.S.
https://twitter.com/tiktok_comms/status/1295399800557502465
TikTok announcedboth the website, located at tiktokus.info, and the new Twitter account, in a news release focussed on “setting the record straight.” The company described the site as an “information hub to serve as a source of truth.” The purpose of the Twitter account, the release states, is to “correct the record” and share news about the company.
It’s clear this isn’t your everyday company press page. This is an all-out campaign to fight back against efforts to ban TikTok in the states.
“With rumors and misinformation about TikTok proliferating in Washington and in the media, let us set the record straight,” reads the homepage of TikTok’s new site. “TikTok is not available in China. Its US user data is stored in Virginia with a back-up in Singapore and strict controls on employee access. TikTok has never provided any US user data to the Chinese government, nor would it do so if asked. Any insinuation to the contrary is unfounded and blatantly false.”
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The website is filled with links to news sources and experts that back the main points the company wants to push: It’s not a threat to U.S. cybersecurity; it takes misinformation on its platform very seriously; and the platform itself is a boon to civil liberties.
The Trump administration has been voicing its intent to take action against TikTok in the U.S. since July. The issue lies with TikTok’s ties to its Chinese parent company ByteDance and the potential cybersecurity implications involving the government of China. The president signedan executive order earlier this month effectively banning the platform in the country if ByteDance didn’t sell off TikTok within 45 days. Trump recently extendedthat deadline until after the U.S. election in November.
TikTok said it plans to suethe Trump administration over these actions. However, the company has also looked into possible acquisitions from U.S. companies like Microsoftand Twitter.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens between TikTok and Trump, but this new campaign from Generation Z’s favorite social media platform makes it clear: it's not going down without a fight.
Topics Cybersecurity Social Media TikTok Donald Trump