This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will convene a full panel he heard With TikTok CEO Shou Chew to discuss how the platform handles user data, its impact on children, and its relationship with Chinese parent company ByteDance.
This hearing is part of an ongoing investigation to determine whether TikTok should be banned in the US or forced to separate from ByteDance.
The ban on TikTok will affect 150 million Americans who use TikTok for education, entertainment, and income generation.
It would also affect the five million US companies that use TikTok to reach customers.
Is TikTok the only national security risk?
according to note Released by the Technical Stewardship Project, TikTok isn’t the only tech platform that poses national security, mental health, and children risks.
While Congress scrutinizes TikTok, the Technology Oversight Project is also urging an investigation into the risks posed by tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Google.
These platforms have a documented history of providing content that is harmful to younger audiences and hostile to US interests. They also fail on many occasions to protect users’ private data.
Several big tech companies have seen the success of TikTok and have tried to emulate some of its features to encourage users to spend as much time in their platforms’ ecosystems as possible. Academics, activists, NGOs and others have long raised concerns about the dangers of these platforms.
To truly reduce Big Rech’s risks to our society, Congress must look beyond TikTok and hold other companies accountable for the same risks they pose to national security, mental health, and private data.
Risks posed by big tech companies
The following are examples of the risks that big technology companies pose to users in the United States.
Amazon
Amazon has made several controversial moves, including a partnership With a government propaganda agency to launch a Chinese book portal and provide AWS services to Chinese companies, including a banned surveillance company with ties to the military.
apple
independent research It found that Apple collects detailed information about its users, even when users choose not to allow tracking by apps from the App Store. More than half Among Apple’s 200 largest suppliers operating factories in China.
The FTC fined Google and YouTube $170 million To collect children’s data without parental consent. YouTube also changed algorithm To make it more addictive, increase users’ time watching videos and consuming ads.
meta
Facebook is allowed Cambridge Analytica To harvest the private data of more than 50 million users. It also fails to notify 530 million Users of a data breach that resulted in users’ private data being stolen.
Russian is also allowed confusion in the 2016 election. Operation Influence formed as an independent news organization with 13 accounts and two pages, pushing messages critical of right- and center-left votes.
Tik Tok
TikTok employees Certain that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is involved in decision-making and has access to TikTok user data. While testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Vanessa Pappas, TikTok’s COO, will not confirm Whether ByteDance will give TikTok user data to the Chinese government.
Conclusion
While the risks posed by TikTok are undeniable, it is clear that Congress must also address the risks posed by the tech industry. By holding all major offenders accountable, we can create a safe and responsible digital landscape for all.
Featured image: Koshiro K / Shutterstock
