**Chinese Espionage Exposed: TikTok Caught Storing Creators’ Financial Data in China**
In a shocking revelation, personal financial information of content creators, including sensitive data like social security and tax identification numbers, have been found stored on TikTok’s servers in communist China. Despite claims of prioritizing user privacy, the truth blatantly showcases TikTok’s willingness to sacrifice user security for its parent company, ByteDance’s, financial gains.
Forbes recently exposed this deceitful act after obtaining records that divulge TikTok’s betrayal of its users’ trust. The company has always maintained that its user data is stored in the United States with security as a top priority. This significant breach of privacy raises concerns about unauthorized access to this sensitive information, potentially posing a serious national security risk.
A former employee-turned-whistleblower earlier revealed that TikTok lied about its security measures and even claimed that China-based engineers had access to non-China datasets to backup, aggregate and analyze data. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), alarmed by the whistleblower’s allegations, wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and urged Congress to take swift action.
Furthermore, Bryan Cunningham, an ex-national security lawyer for the White House and CIA, reportedly told Forbes that such compromised tax records could be the most sensitive data the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could access. Cunningham emphasized the unacceptability of sharing this data, even if the company claims to hold legitimate reasons.
TikTok’s mounting troubles indicate the likelihood of a national ban, with Commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr stating that the app’s downfall is imminent in both Europe and the U.S.
**The time has come to hold companies like TikTok accountable and prioritize the security and privacy of its users above profits. TikTok must take immediate action to ensure adequate transparency and adherence to constitutional rights for all its users.**