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Donald Trump claims he will ban TikTok in the US
The president told reporters on Air Force One that he will ban TikTok in the US.
Trump admin will reportedly force ByteDance to sell TikTok
It looks like Donald Trump is about to make good on his promise to go after TikTok.
Instagram's TikTok competitor could launch in the U.S. very soon
Instagram's Reels could be Facebook's best shot at beating TikTok.
India has banned TikTok, WeChat and many other Chinese apps
The government cited citizen concerns over privacy and data security.
TikTok adds Prince’s entire catalog for your next viral dance
You can check out a livestreamed tour of Paisley Park on the app this Monday.
EU wants Facebook, Twitter to report monthly on fight against fake news
The EU wants Facebook, Google and Twitter to provide monthly reports on their fight against fake news.
TikTok's new CEO is Disney's former streaming leader
TikTok has picked Disney's streaming head Kevin Mayer as its new CEO.
China orders TikTok owner to pull work app that bypassed censors
China has ordered ByteDance to temporarily pull a work-from-home app after learning you could see content from Facebook and Twitter.
TikTok names experts who will help shape its content policies
TikTok has named the group of experts who will help guide the app's content moderation policies as part of the newly formed "Content Advisory Council." The group, chaired by George Washington University Law Professor Dawn Nunziato, is made up of academics who are experts in issues like child safety, free speech, politics, and video forensics. The seven-member council (the company says it will eventually grow to "around a dozen" people) will start meeting with TikTok's US executives later this month to discuss "critical topics around platform integrity, including policies against misinformation and election interference."
TikTok will stop using China-based moderators to screen foreign content
TikTok has already taken steps to reassure the world that the Chinese government doesn't control its app overseas, including the use of non-Chinese moderators for the US and plans for a transparency center. However, it's taking things one step further. The social media company said it will stop using China-based moderators to screen content in any other country, and that more than 100 moderators will have to either find other jobs inside parent company Bytedance or leave. Teams local to given areas should take over within a few weeks, TikTok said.
Senators want to ban TikTok from government phones
All federal government employees could soon be banned from downloading TikTok on work-issued smartphones. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) have introduced a bill that would do just that, claiming the social media app poses a national security threat. If passed, the 'No TikTok on Government Devices Act,' would bar employees of the federal government from installing the short form video app on official phones. Though, it makes exceptions for research, investigative, and national security purposes.
TSA bans employees from making TikTok videos
The Transport Security Administration (TSA) is the latest US government organization to ban the use of TikTok. The decision comes after New York Senator Chuck Schumer sent a letter to TSA administrator David Pekoske, in which he flagged a number of security concerns about China-owned app.
TikTok bans 'misleading' videos and 'underage delinquent behavior'
TikTok has given its community guidelines a pretty massive update in an effort to "maintain a supportive and welcoming environment." Its section on minor safety, for instance, looks a lot more comprehensive than before, which isn't surprising considering the platform's userbase. While the guidelines' previous version mostly just prohibited "sexually explicit content featuring minors," the new one also touches on "grooming behavior," child abuse and specifically states that TikTok does "not allow content depicting minors engaged in delinquent behavior."
Nearly the whole US military has banned TikTok
When the Army, Marines and Navy all put the kibosh on TikTok, you knew it was just a matter of time before other US military branches followed suit -- and sure enough, they have. The Air Force and Coast Guard have confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that they no longer allow TikTok on government-issued devices. It's not yet clear that the ban is truly comprehensive (the recently established Space Force hasn't weighed in), but it effectively leaves no 'safe' space for TikTok on military hardware.
TikTok-owner ByteDance reportedly built a deepfake maker
TikTok parent company ByteDance has built a feature that could let users create their own deepfakes, TechCrunch reports. The feature, referred to as Face Swap, was spotted in code in both TikTok and the Chinese app Douyin. It asks users to scan their face and then transfers their image to videos.
TikTok report says China didn't request user info in the first half of 2019
In its first-ever transparency report, TikTok claims it didn't receive any user information requests from the Chinese government in the first half of 2019. Instead, the majority of both legal and government-related requests came from India. In all, TikTok says it fielded 107 legal requests related to 143 Indian accounts, and provided authorities with user information in 47 percent of cases.
US Army is the latest military branch to ban TikTok
The Navy isn't the only American military branch clamping down on TikTok. The Army has banned the use of TikTok on government-issued phones, with Army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Robin Ochoa telling Military.com that it's "considered a cyber threat." The Army started warning soldiers in mid-December, roughly at the same time the Defense Department was telling employees to delete TikTok to "circumvent any exposure of personal information."
ByteDance may sell off TikTok stake to avoid US backlash
Chinese company ByteDance's TikTok app is popular with young people across the globe for posting fun videos. However, recently security concerns about the app have been raised in the US, with senators requesting an assessment of its potential as a national security risk and the US Navy banning the app from government-issued phones. Now, the company's leadership is considering how to address these concerns, according to Bloomberg.
Navy bans TikTok from government-issued phones
Don't expect to post often on TikTok if you're serving in the US Navy. The military branch has banned use of the social video app on any government-issued mobile devices. ByteDance's software is allegedly a "cybersecurity threat," according to a bulletin. The Navy's Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland didn't offer specific reasons for the ban, but the notice asked troops to take action to "safeguard their personal information."
House panel asks Apple, Google if app makers must reveal foreign ties
The US is growing increasingly suspicious of foreign-made apps. House national security subcommittee chairman Rep. Stephen Lynch has sent letters to Apple and Google asking whether or not they require app developers to disclose "potential overseas affiliations" before software shows up in their respective stores. The congressman is worried about claims that apps like TikTok, Grindr and FaceApp may be providing sensitive data to the governments of China and Russia.
