Washington, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requesting a classified briefing on TikTok and other technology companies with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
“While we remain deeply concerned with TikTok, such concerns extend beyond the popular short-form video app. For example, we recently learned a retail store partnered with DeepCam LLC - a company with links to China and its authoritarian government - secretly to deploy facial recognition technology at hundreds of locations, collecting information on countless Americans. Additionally, we know companies like Shenzhen Hawk, a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate, TCL, develop and offer apps with spyware and malware designed to harvest user data and send it back to China," the leaders wrote.
The full letter can be found HERE.
Over two months ago, Walden and Rodgers demanded answers from TikTok related to their potential violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA); TikTok’s collection and use of Americans’ information and whether such information is being shared with the Chinese Communist Party; TikTok’s corporate governance; and issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more HERE.
Additionally, last week Walden and Rodgers wrote to Google and Apple to request information on the vetting of their applications, particularly for foreign sourcing and potential ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Read more HERE.
