The US Congress recently passed the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” by an overwhelming majority, which requires TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance within six months or face a ban on its operations in the US. The high level of alert towards TikTok’s risks in the US is evident.
As a Taiwanese legislator, I believe we should also take proactive action by enacting relevant legislation to regulate TikTok to safeguard national security and societal interests.
Many view TikTok as just an ordinary video-sharing platform, but in reality, it can serve as a tool for the Chinese government to conduct surveillance and cognitive warfare against other countries. As a Chinese enterprise, ByteDance must comply with Chinese laws and cooperate with the Chinese government in providing user data. This data is at risk of being leaked and could be used for espionage activities against Taiwan.
Although TikTok’s CEO has repeatedly denied any illegal actions by the company and claimed to have cut ties with ByteDance, up to 11 former TikTok employees have said that TikTok still closely cooperates with ByteDance.
TikTok sends personal data of US users to its headquarters in Beijing every 14 days, including names, accounts, IP locations and demographic information, for ByteDance’s monitoring and statistical purposes, they said.
This practice of transmitting user privacy data back to China is highly concerning. The Chinese government has repeatedly used data obtained by enterprises to compromise the national security of other countries. With TikTok’s vast user database, it is naturally prone to exploitation by the Chinese government.
The Chinese authorities could also manipulate TikTok’s algorithms to promote narratives that are favorable to them, influence public opinion and even affect foreign elections.
US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines has warned that China might use TikTok to spread misinformation during this year’s US elections.
As a prime target for China, Taiwan should be especially vigilant.
There are about 5 million active TikTok users in Taiwan, with 57 percent under the age of 40, making them a key demographic for Chinese infiltration and influence, statistics showed. A significant focus of Beijing’s Taiwan strategy is to divide Taiwanese society, weaken the Taiwanese’s sense of crisis and implement “asymmetric infiltration” in political, economic and cultural aspects. TikTok is a strategic tool used by China to achieve this purpose.
Beyond national security concerns, TikTok also poses a risk in the shaping of social norms. Content promoting suicide, eating disorders and numerous dangerous challenges pervasive on TikTok pose severe threats to the physical and mental health of the youth.
The “blackout challenge” on TikTok has led to the deaths of at least 20 children under the age of 15 within 18 months, data showed.
I absolutely cannot condone TikTok’s irreversible impact on our next generation.
Due to the significant threats posed by TikTok to national security and societal norms, I have already cosponsored legislation targeting TikTok for leaking user personal information and digital footprints for advertising purposes, granting the government the authority to demand digital platforms to alert users or remove content. I will draw from the US’ approach to propose legislation restricting TikTok’s operations in Taiwan. I implore the executive branch, especially the Digital Development Department, to take TikTok’s threats to Taiwan seriously and actively implement countermeasures.
Chen Kuan-ting currently serves as the member of Foreign and National Defense Committee at the Legislative Yuan (MP) representing Chiayi County Constituency 2. He was formerly the Special Assistant to the DPP Chairperson President Tsai Ing-wen, the CEO of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a researcher in Taiwan’s National Development Council, and also an Adjunct Lecturer at Tamkang University’s department of Diplomacy and International Relations.
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