An EU solution to a Chinese app: Regulatory approaches towards TikTok’s risks
TikTok has become an archetypical example of Chinese digital companies going
global. Its connection to China, however, has led to unprecedented scrutiny over the
company’s policies regarding data collection and privacy, content moderation, and
recommendation algorithms. This policy brief takes a closer look at the concrete risks
posed by the app, specifically its alleged CCP connection, its perceived cyber
security risks, and the subjection of its parent company to Chinese security
legislation. Drawing from several earlier reports into TikTok’s alleged China
connection, it finds that none of the risks ascribed to TikTok have been sufficiently
substantiated to warrant an all-out ban that some EU policy makers and security
analysts argue for. Rather, this policy brief recommends that the EU should apply its
existing stringent regulatory framework for data services, which provides solutions
for all of the concerns raised with regard to TikTok.
