Despite heightened US scrutiny and ongoing national security concerns, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance significantly ramped up hiring workers from China in the past year. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data, nearly two-thirds of the 1,089 H-1B hires approved for the company between October 2022 and September 2023 were for Chinese nationals, a notable 50% increase from the previous year. Of these hires, 14 were specifically for roles within TikTok’s US Data Security Division (USDS), a team established to address data privacy issues and to keep American user information isolated from foreign access. Despite reassurances from TikTok regarding its secure handling of data, these new hires only intensify debate about the app’s relationship with China and the potential for influence by the Chinese government.
Senator Tom Cotton expressed concern over these hires, citing the vulnerability of data security given the company’s continued ties to China. The senator’s remarks underline fears that Chinese government laws might compel ByteDance to share sensitive user information with Chinese authorities, putting US national security at risk. The concentration of Chinese workers within TikTok’s US operations has added to these anxieties, as only 12% of approved H-1B applications across all companies for the fiscal year originated from China, making TikTok and ByteDance’s hiring disproportionately China-centric. In light of these issues, US lawmakers passed legislation in April urging ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets, with possible removal from app stores looming if compliance isn’t met by early next year.
Though TikTok has repeatedly denied sharing data with Chinese authorities and maintains that its moderation team is US-based, the company’s deep connection to ByteDance presents ongoing complications. Former employees have indicated that significant product decisions for TikTok are still influenced by ByteDance executives in Beijing, while company culture aligns closely with ByteDance’s internal practices, even adopting a set of values known as “ByteStyles.” This tight operational overlap with its Chinese parent, alongside the increased hiring from China, continues to raise eyebrows among security experts and lawmakers alike, who argue that these ties may compromise TikTok’s independence.
(Source: Firstpost | SCMP)
