TikTok's Sale to US-based Company May Alleviate Security Concerns- Expert

Business Standard TikTok's sale to US-based company may alleviate security concerns: Expert

India has banned as many as 106 Chinese apps, including TikTok, a move welcomed by both the Trump administration and the US lawmakers.

The uncertain future facing the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok and its potential sale to a US-based company could alleviate national security concerns about access to American user data, according to a tech expert.

Mike Horning, an associate professor of multimedia journalism in the Virginia Tech School of Communication, said the growth of TikTok has raised concerns among security experts because it uses a powerful algorithm that customises content to users based on a number of user characteristics.

His remarks came days after technology giant Microsoft said it will continue talks to purchase TikTok's American business following a conversation between its India-born CEO Satya Nadella and President Donald Trump.

The statement from the Redmond-headquartered Microsoft came after Trump said that he could use the emergency economic powers or an executive order to ban TikTok in the US over national security issues.

"The app has gained attention because it uses a powerful algorithm that customises content to users based on a number of user characteristics. This algorithm collects such sophisticated data about users that the data is attractive to both corporations and governments," Horning said.