Cybersecurity expert weighs in on the possibility of a U.S. ban of TikTok
Anyone who has a Gen-Z person in their life is likely familiar with the popular social media app TikTok, but a new bill in the U.S. may soon take it off of the American market.
With so much singing, dancing, and lip syncing all in one app, TikTok seems fairly innocent, but the app has gained much scrutiny recently, raising a number of security concerns largely including their involvement with the Chinese government.
“The biggest concern is who is ultimately the owner and controller of a massive media platform where a lot of people get their news. Having that ultimately be in the control or influence of the Chinese Communist Party is a massive concern for the United States,” said Beauceron Security CEO, David Shipley in an interview Thursday.
A bill signed by the United States President, Joe Biden, will require the company’s Chinese owner to sell to an American, or the app will no longer be able to operate in the massive U.S. market.
Shipley adds the ban has gone farther than just being a partisan issue.
“There is a very real threat. Remember, this is the same United States where we’ve never seen more partisan, and across Republican to Democrat, everybody has gotten behind this. That tells you this is important, and real,” added Shipley.
“What the Americans are laying bare here is that you cannot trust what is going on with TikTok, and how they are influencing the minds of our most important next generation.”
Shipley says one of the largest worries for the government is TikTok’s access of information, and how they can control what is being seen.
“Remember that at the core of these social media platforms are the algorithms that control what you get to see, when, and what topics. And it’s in absolute interest of the Chinese state to have us at each other’s throats, to have us reacting to things,” he said.
“It’s not a coincidence that social media is at such a fever peak and we’re also seeing issues like anti-Semitism, issues like partisanship in politics, issues like lack of faith that democracy even works.”
Another worry Shipley brought up is how hard it is to regulate apps like TikTok.
“We have to take a more sophisticated route to regulation. It was easy, honestly, in the days of radio and television because we regulated the airways and we viewed the natural resource that was limited as the spectrum, we were able to apply really sane regulation around media ownership, concentration, values, ethical accountability, editorial accountability,” said Shipley.
As for whether Canada should also take steps to ban the app, Shipley said we have bigger issues on our plate.
“This isn’t a fight that we need to stick our nose into, per se, let the Americans lead it. But we should be paying attention to it,” said Shipley.
“The reality is, however, when it comes to national security, besides not sticking our face in the middle of this, we can’t even get our house in order on far more pressing and fundamental things like the foreign interference inquiry, and the abuse of our nomination process. If we can’t take that seriously, we’re not ready to play this game at all,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
'A great victory for the industry': Taxi drivers celebrate ruling that found City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sues for defamation over National Enquirer, InTouch Weekly stories
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
New York City FC coach repeats denial of allegations he punched a Toronto FC player
New York City FC coach Nick Cushing has repeated his denial of allegations that he punched a Toronto FC player, saying he is shocked and upset at the claim.