China proposes to limit children's smartphone time to a maximum of 2 hours a day
Chinaโs internet watchdog has laid out regulations to curb the amount of time children spend on their smartphones, in the latest blow to firms such as Tencent and ByteDance, which run social media platforms and online games.
Former ByteDance executive says Chinese Communist Party tracked Hong Kong protesters via data
A former executive at ByteDance, the Chinese company which owns the popular short-video app TikTok, says in a legal filing that some members of the ruling Communist Party used data held by the company to identify and locate protesters in Hong Kong.
TikTok attorney: China can't get U.S. data under plan
Under intense scrutiny from Washington that could lead to a potential ban on TikTok, the top attorney for the social media platform and its Chinese parent company ByteDance defended TikTokโs plan to safeguard U.S. user data from China and said it will continue to develop its new app called Lemon8.
TikTok boss meets European officials as scrutiny intensifies
TikTokโs CEO has met with European Union officials about strict new digital regulations in the 27-nation bloc as the Chinese-owned social media app faces growing scrutiny from Western authorities over data privacy, cybersecurity and misinformation.
China summons technology firms over voice software security
FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2020, file photo, a man rides past the Tencent headquarters in Beijing, China. Chinese authorities summoned 11 companies including Alibaba and Tencent for talks regarding the security of voice technology, as Beijing steps up scrutiny over the internet sector. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)HONG KONG โ Chinese authorities summoned 11 companies including Alibaba and Tencent for talks regarding the security of voice software, as Beijing steps up scrutiny over the internet sector. The move comes as authorities in recent months have increased oversight over technology firms in the country, over concerns of anticompetitive behavior. Twelve technology companies, including Tencent and Baidu, for were fined for flouting anti-monopoly rules.
Another judge blocks Trumpโs TikTok ban; app still in limbo
WASHINGTON โ A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's attempts to ban TikTok, the latest legal defeat for the administration as it tries to wrest the popular app from its Chinese owners. The Trump administration had tried to ban the short-form video app from smartphone app stores in the U.S. and cut it off from vital technical services. Nichols is the second federal judge to fully block the Trump administration's economic sanctions against the app as the court cases proceed. The Trump administration has alleged that TikTok is a security threat because the Chinese government could spy on app usersโ personal data. TikTok has denied itโs a security threat but said itโs still trying to work with the administration to resolve its concerns.
TikTok asks court to intervene as Trump order looms
(AP) โ The popular video-sharing app TikTok, its future in limbo since President Donald Trump tried to shut it down earlier this fall, is asking a federal court to intervene. TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, has until Thursday to sell off its U.S. operations under an executive order that Trump signed in August. The department โremains focused" on resolving the alleged national security risks posed by TikTok, a Treasury spokeswoman said in a statement Wednesday evening. Trump has cited concerns that the Chinese government could spy on TikTok users if the app remains under Chinese ownership. TikTok is now looking to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review Trumpโs divestment order and the governmentโs national-security review.
Video app TikTok leans into e-commerce with Shopify deal
The popular short-form video app TikTok, still under U.S. government scrutiny for its Chinese ownership, is moving closer to becoming a marketplace for buying stuff. Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify said Tuesday it's made a deal with TikTok enabling merchants to create โshoppableโ video ads that drive customers to online stores. The partnership was announced Tuesday amid stalled negotiations for Walmart to buy a 7.5% stake in the video app. Then, video ads will be automatically generated that could show up in a TikTok userโs video feed and drive customers to Shopify for checkout. Walmart and Shopify are on good terms, having teamed up against Amazon in June on a deal that enables Shopifyโs small businesses to get listed on Walmart.com.
Federal judge postpones Pres. Trump ban on popular app TikTok
(AP) โ A federal judge on Sunday postponed a Trump administration order that would have banned the popular video sharing app TikTok from U.S. smartphone app stores around midnight. The ruling followed an emergency hearing Sunday morning in which lawyers for TikTok argued that the administration's app-store ban would infringe on First Amendment rights and do irreparable harm to the business. In addition, Hall argued that a ban would prevent existing users from automatically receiving security updates, eroding national security. โThis is the most immediate national security threat," argued Schwei. Trump set the process in motion with executive orders in August that declared TikTok and another Chinese app, WeChat, threats to national security.
TikTok scrambles to remove suicide video clips, ban users
LONDON TikTok says it's working to remove videos of a man apparently taking his own life and banning users that keep trying to spread the clips on the popular social media platform. The video was originally livestreamed on Facebook before being circulated on other platforms including TikTok, the company said. Our systems, together with our moderation teams, have been detecting and blocking these clips for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies, or promotes suicide," TikTok said in a statement. We are banning accounts that repeatedly try to upload clips," the company said, adding it appreciated users who reported the content. TikTok urged people who were struggling with thoughts of suicide or concerned about someone who is to seek support.
Chinese govt complicates TikTok sale ordered by US govt
NEW YORK The Chinese government is complicating the U.S.-government-ordered sale of U.S. TikTok assets. That means TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, would have to obtain a license to export any restricted technologies to a foreign company. The Trump administration has threatened to ban TikTok by mid-September and ordered ByteDance to sell its U.S. business, claiming national-security risks due to that Chinese ownership. TikTok denies it is a national-security risk and is suing to stop the administration from the threatened ban. Prospective buyers for U.S. TikTok assets include Microsoft and Walmart and, reportedly, Oracle.
Privacy groups: TikTok app violating childrenโs privacy
Privacy watchdogs say that the popular TikTok video app is violating a children's privacy law and putting kids at risk. TikTok paid a $5.7 million fine to the FTC in 2019 over collecting personal information from kids under 13, a violation of the federal Childrenโs Online Privacy Protection Act. But the privacy groups say it's easy for kids to use TikTok without parental consent. The privacy groups asked the FTC to investigate and fine TikTok. In an emailed statement, TikTok said it takes privacy seriously and is committed to ensuring the app is a safe and entertaining community for users.