As TikTok Tops Instagram, Facebook in Popularity, Its China Origin Becomes a Problem
As of September this year, TikTok was the third most downloaded non-gaming app in the world, ahead of both Facebook and Instagram, according to market research firm Sensor Tower.
However, contrary to being proud of its national origin, TikTok is eager to shake off its Chinese identity amid the rising geo-political tension between the U.S.
According to sources speaking to The Wall Street Journal, several TikTok employees and advisers have approached the companys senior management about possible ways to distance the app from its Chinese roots, including expanding operations in Southeast Asia and rebranding the app in the U.S.
People familiar with TikToks practice said the platform had also quietly reduced the amount of Chinese content visible to American users.
But all it takes is one knock on the door of their parent company, based in China, from a Communist Party official for that data to be transferred to the Chinese governments hands, whenever they need it, Senator Josh Hawley said at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on data security earlier this month.
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