TikTok launches new website to counter misinformation

TikTok has launched tiktokus.info, a new website different from the app main sight,tiktokus.com, to counter Trump’s and critics’ claims that the app poses security threat to the United States.

Trump Administration has accused TikTok, an app with over 80 million U.S users, owned by a Chinese company called by ByteDance, that China could collect information of American users via the app

Announcing the website on Monday August 17, 2020, TikTok said in a statement, “We neither support nor stand for the spread of misinformation on our platform, or about our platform.”

“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,” read the app privacy policies on its new website.

ByteDance has faced accusations from President Trump that the company’s app, TikTok, collect huge information on users through location data and browsing and search histories.

Similarly, the White House also claimed that federal employees and contractors could be tracked via the app. It was added it could conduct corporate espionage and stage blackmailing by building personal information dossiers.

This has necessitated President Trump’s executive order demanding that the company divest its U.S assets. The company was given 90 days to do so.

Microsoft is making a move to acquire the U.S unit of the app as Satya Nadella, the Microsoft CEO had had a discussion about the deal with President Trump, according to Microsoft Company.