TikTok admits Australian data can be accessed in China
There are growing concerns that social media platform TikTok’s China-based employees are able to access Australian user data.
Security adviser and chief executive at Canberra-based cyber defence consultancy Internet 2.0, Robert Potter, says TikTok’s privacy standards are ‘‘fundamentally incompatible’’ with Australia.
“There’s enough users across the world outside of China to try to protect user privacy and comply with regulations, so there’s a fair chance we’ll be able to hit a different standard,” he told Gareth Parker on 6PR Breakfast.
Chinese cyber security laws require Chinese companies to store certain data and allow Chinese authorities to conduct spot checks of their operations.
The laws also compel social media companies to hand over information if requested by Beijing.
Australian TikTok data is held on servers in the US and Singapore, and its security team, which provides authorisations, is US-based.
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