DOJ says TikTok collected users’ views on issues like abortion, gun control and religion

The Division of Justice on Friday evening requested a federal courtroom to reject TikTok’s bid to have the legislation that might ban it overturned, citing nationwide safety considerations that embody its alleged use of inside search instruments to gather info on customers’ views round delicate subjects. It is available in response to in an try to problem the legislation that now requires its China-based mum or dad firm, ByteDance, to promote the app or it is going to be banned within the US. into legislation in April.

In one of many paperwork filed with the US Courtroom of Appeals for the DC Circuit, the DOJ says a search instrument inside Lark, the web-suite system the corporate’s staff use to speak, “allowed ByteDance and TikTok staff in the US and China to gather bulk person info primarily based on the person’s content material or expressions, together with views on gun management, abortion, and faith.” The DOJ additionally argues within the filings that TikTok might be used to topic US customers to content material manipulation, and that their delicate info might find yourself saved on servers in China.

TikTok has repeatedly denied the accusations about it being a risk to nationwide safety and has known as the efforts to ban it “unconstitutional.” In its newest assertion responding to the DOJ submitting, posted on X, mentioned, “Nothing on this temporary modifications the truth that the Structure is on our aspect.”