TikTok Tells EU Users That Staff in China, Other Countries Can Access User Data

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Heightening fears that Beijing uses its digital reach to spy on internet users, Chinese-owned TikTok is updating its European privacy policy to confirm that staff in several countries, including China, can access user data to ensure their experience of the platform is “consistent, enjoyable and safe.”

TikTok’s head of privacy in Europe, Elaine Fox, said that “based on a demonstrated need to do their job, subject to a series of robust security controls and approval protocols, and by way of methods that are recognized under the GDPR [the EU’s general data protection regulation], we allow certain employees within our corporate group located in Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States, remo…