In December, ByteDance confirmed it had fired four employees who used TikTok to spy on the location of two journalists. now, Forbes reports that the FBI and Department of Justice are investigating the incident. This investigation couldn’t come at a worse time, as ByteDance faces increasing pressure to sell its stake in TikTok.
Critics in Congress have previously raised questions about the app’s surveillance tactics, particularly in light of ByteDance’s admission that officials improperly accessed user data in the US. “We have strongly condemned the actions of the individuals found to be involved and they are no longer employed by ByteDance,” a spokesperson said. “Our internal investigation is still ongoing and we will cooperate with any official inquiries as they are brought to our attention.”
The incident late last year involved officials accessing the data of several TikTok users in the US, including journalists, to find the sources of the leak. Forbes reported that ByteDance tracked down three of its reporters who previously worked for News from BuzzFeed. All of these outlets published reports about TikTok, many of which focused on alleged ties to the Chinese government.
– Matt Smith
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