TikTok, a popular video app, is in trouble with the US government.
They’re being investigated by a department called the FTC because of how they handle user information. Some folks worry TikTok might be collecting data from kids and sharing it with China since it’s owned by a Chinese company.
This is a big deal because US laws protect user privacy, especially for children. One law says companies can’t take info from kids under 13 without their parents’ OK. The FTC thinks TikTok might have broken this rule. Another law says companies can’t lie to people. The FTC is also checking if TikTok lied about who can see user info from the US.
TikTok could face more problems. The US government might ban the app or make them sell it to another company. This is still up in the air, but it could change how TikTok works in the future.
The US government is extra worried because even though TikTok is popular, it’s owned by a Chinese company. China’s laws say companies there must help the government if asked. So, despite TikTok saying they keep US user info safe, China might still access it.
TikTok tried to fix this by moving US user info to servers in the US, controlled by a US company. They also made rules so only certain workers could see this info. But some folks in the US government aren’t convinced it’s enough.