TAIPEI: Taiwan’s government has launched an investigation into TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, on the grounds that it may be running an unlicensed branch on the island and has warned that Beijing may be using the platform to propagate misinformation.
Due to fears about China gaining access to user data, which the business vehemently rejects, TikTok, which is not extensively used in Taiwan, has faced pressure mostly in the United States.
TikTok was allegedly engaged in “illegal commercial operations” in Taiwan, according to a statement released late on Sunday by Taiwan’s China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council. This information was found on December 9 by a working group under the Cabinet.
ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, reportedly established a subsidiary on the island to advertise for business, in violation of Taiwanese law that forbids Chinese social media platforms from operating as businesses there, according to Taiwan’s Liberty Times newspaper.
In response to that news, the Mainland Affairs Council stated that a probable legal violation had been identified by the Cabinet working group and that an investigation was underway.
The mainland side has used short video platforms like TikTok to carry out covert operations and infiltration against other nations in recent years, the report stated, so there is a significant chance that the Chinese government is acquiring users’ personal information.
An request for comment from TikTok did not immediately receive a response.Taiwan forbids a variety of Chinese businesses from operating on the island, including social media sites and the hugely lucrative chip manufacturing sector.
