Unlike the United States, the UK has refrained from calling for an outright ban on TikTok, despite mounting concerns about how the app could potentially be exploited by the Chinese government for data collection or public influence.
Peter Kyle, a prominent UK lawmaker, expressed unease over TikTok’s ownership structure and its handling of user data. “I am genuinely concerned about the ownership model of TikTok,” he said. “I’m genuinely concerned about their use of data, linked to the ownership model.”
However, Kyle acknowledged the app’s appeal, calling TikTok a “desirable product” and emphasizing that “young people should be free to explore all sorts of cultures and ideologies.”
In contrast, the United States has taken a more aggressive stance, passing a law to ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its ownership. The US government has cited fears that TikTok could be used by Beijing to spy on American users or manipulate public opinion through content control and data exploitation.
ByteDance has been given an ultimatum to sell TikTok or face a ban. The initial deadline for compliance, set during former President Donald Trump’s administration, has been extended by 75 days.
Responding to concerns, a TikTok spokesperson told AFP that the app in the UK is operated by a UK-registered company and adheres to UK laws and regulations. “Our parent company is majority-owned by international investors, predominantly from the US,” the spokesperson added, asserting that the Chinese government has no stake in ByteDance.
TikTok also revealed it has invested £10 billion ($12 billion) in a data security program to safeguard user information within the UK and mainland Europe.
