EXECUTIVES AT TIKTOK AND PARENT COMPANY BYTEDANCE HAVE LONG MAINTAINED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TIK TOK USER DATA STORED IN THE U.S.
HOWEVER — ACCORDING TO A RECENT LAWSUIT — THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE.
IN A WRONGFUL TERMINATION LAWSUIT — FORMER BYTEDANCE EXECUTIVE YINTAO YU CLAIMED CHINA “MAINTAINED SUPREME ACCESS” TO BYTEDANCE DATA — AND THAT BYTEDANCE QUOTE “HAS SERVED AS A USEFUL PROPAGANDA TOOL FOR THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.”
AMONG THE LIST OF CLAIMS IN THE SUIT — YU SAID THE C-C-P HAD A SPECIAL OFFICE WITHIN BYTEDANCE.
THIS OFFICE “PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE” IN QUOTE “GUIDING HOW THE COMPANY ADVANCED CORE COMMUNIST VALUES.”
ACCORDING TO THE SUIT — THE C-C-P COULD ACCESS U-S USER DATA VIA A BACKDOOR CHANNEL IN THE COMPANY’S CODE.
YU ALSO SAID BYTEDANCE WAS RESPONSIVE TO C-C-P REQUESTS TO SHARE INFORMATION — AS WELL AS “ELEVATE OR REMOVE” CERTAIN CONTENT.
IN A STATEMENT RESPONDING TO THE LAWSUIT — A SPOKESPERSON FOR BYTEDANCE SAID QUOTE “WE PLAN TO VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE BASELESS CLAIMS AND ALLEGATIONS IN THIS COMPLAINT.”
YU WAS FIRED FROM BYTEDANCE BACK IN 20-18.
HIS LAWSUIT CLAIMS HE WAS LET GO AS RETALIATION FOR RAISING CONCERNS OVER WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS ILLEGAL CONDUCT HAPPENING AT THE COMPANY.
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