According to CNBC, a leader of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just asked Apple and Google to remove the short video platform TikTok from app stores due to concerns about security issues.

Specifically, Brendan Carr, an FCC commissioner, shared on his personal Twitter page a letter sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

“TikTok is not what it seems.

In his letter, Brendan Carr also said that if Apple and Alphabet do not remove TikTok from the app stores, both corporations will have to give a plausible explanation before July 8.

“The statements must explain that TikTok’s access to user data and misleading patterns and behavior do not violate any company policies,” Mr. Carr emphasized.

Alphabet, Apple and TikTok have not yet commented.

Earlier this month, Mr. Carr also cited a BuzzFeed News report that said Chinese engineers accessed US user data between September 2021 and January 2022.

The report also includes a statement from a TikTok spokesperson: “We know TikTok is one of the most scrutinized platforms for security, and we want to remove any doubt about its integrity.

Previously, in 2019, the US Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) began investigating TikTok regarding the issue of user data collection.

In 2021, TikTok is the most downloaded application, and has more than one billion users globally.

In addition, TikTok is also expanding into the field of e-commerce – an ambition that is gradually blurring the lines between social networks and online shopping applications.

According to: CNBC