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The video messaging application TikTok has responded to what it says is “misinformation” about its connection to China, characterizing itself as a global platform with “strict controls around security and access to data.”
The hugely popular platform has used a submission to the Senate investigation into foreign interference via social media to point to “and welcome” Scott Morrison’s recent comment after an “investigation reported by law enforcement agencies.”
The filing notes that the prime minister stated that “there was nothing at this time to suggest to us that security interests have been compromised or that Australian citizens have been compromised due to what is happening with those apps.”
The comments referenced in the TikTok submission were made by Morrison on a US security forum in early August.
But the prime minister also said during that appearance that the app’s data could potentially be accessed at “sovereign state level” and that “people need to understand where the extension cord goes.”
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based tech company, and has 1.6 million Australian users, most of them under the age of 25.
The company has come under increased scrutiny and pressure in several countries because various leaks suggest it censoring material that harms China’s foreign policy goals or mentions its human rights record, and because of the volume of data it collects about its users.
Donald Trump says the app is a national security threat and has demanded the complete sale of TikTok to a US owner. In August, the US president gave ByteDance 90 days to sell or face closure. It later issued twin executive orders banning US transactions with ByteDance and also the owner of the Chinese payment and messaging app WeChat.
Company representatives are due to appear before the Australian Senate investigation on Friday.
In its written submission, TikTok tries to counter some of the criticism about security, saying that the personal data it collects from Australian users is stored on servers located in the US and Singapore. The company states, “We would like to take this opportunity to address misinformation about TikTok’s connection to China.”
It says it has “never shared Australian user data with the Chinese government or censored Australian content at their request.”
It says that any legal request from the Chinese government related to data from Australian TikTok users should go through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) process, which it defines as an “agreement between states that outlines terms for managing requests for evidence between jurisdictions “. ”.
“The Chinese government or law enforcement agencies would have to submit the evidence disclosure request through the appropriate MLAT process,” the filing reads. “To date, we have not received any MLAT requests regarding data from Australian users.”
The platform also made reference to the controversy in the United States. It notes that “it has been widely reported that ByteDance has been considering various strategic alternatives to comply with US government requirements. Which may result in a change in the business of TikTok in Australia.”
The vice chair of the Senate investigation is Liberal Senator Jim Molan. Molan has previously characterized TikTok as “a data collection service disguised as social media” that requires increased scrutiny from Australian users.
Nationals MP George Christensen has accused TikTok of being “used and abused” by the Chinese Communist Party and called for it to be banned.
More recently, Morrison criticized the platform for moving too slowly by deleting a horrific video that showed a man taking his own life. “Platforms like TikTok need to put more resources into detecting and removing this type of harmful content,” the prime minister said. “That is your responsibility.”
TikTok told ABC that the video originated from Facebook. “Our systems have automatically detected and flagged these clips for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies or promotes suicide,” said a company statement.
“We are banning accounts that repeatedly attempt to upload clips, and we thank our community members who have reported content and warned others not to view, participate in or share such videos on any platform out of respect for the individual and their family.”
