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US Intelligence Chief alleges China manipulated TikTok to sway US electorate
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, or ODNI, alleges that China or its citizens have utilized TikTok not merely to meddle in the presidential elections, but also to alter public sentiment regarding China's assertiveness.
The US intelligence sector has alerted that the Chinese government used the widely-used video-sharing app TikTok to sway recent American elections, according to the yearly threat evaluation published on Monday.
The Director of National Intelligence's office, which supervises the 18 US intelligence agencies and releases a yearly report outlining significant global threats to the country, has alleged that TikTok, supported by ByteDance, has been manipulating eligible voters to deter them from participating in a voting group.
This alert gains importance as it coincides with the election year where the House of Representatives is preparing to pass a bill to force ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to sell its shares in the platform. If they don't adhere to this, TikTok may be removed from app stores in the US.
The push for this law by Congress stems from worries about national security, centered on the possible access that the Chinese government could have to American user data through TikTok. Additionally, the potential for the government to run influence operations through the platform is also a concern.
This year's report suggests that TikTok profiles, supposedly run by a branch of Chinese propaganda, aimed at candidates from all political affiliations during the 2022 US midterm elections. The report further warned that China may seek to sway the US 2024 elections in their favor, by suppressing China's critics and intensifying societal rifts within the US.
This isn't the initial instance of a person in the US blaming China or Russia for meddling in their electoral processes. It's believed that China has superior abilities to conduct large-scale secret influence campaigns and spread false information.
Apart from electoral influence, China is also attempting to mold American public opinion about its territorial integrity and regions it claims, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang.
The report also underscores China's surveillance of Chinese students studying overseas for opposing opinions and its impact on research carried out by US scholars and think tank professionals.
The report cautions about a progressively unstable worldwide system, under pressure from nations like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Additionally, regional disputes, groundbreaking technologies, and the financial consequences of climate change also contribute to the stress.
This highlights the continuing rivalry between totalitarian and democratic regimes, which has obstructed cooperative solutions to worldwide problems such as global warming. Furthermore, the rise of new technologies like artificial intelligence and biotechnology are predicted to intensify this rivalry.
A representative from TikTok responded to the accusations by asserting that they consistently combat misleading activities, such as hidden manipulation networks. They also mentioned that they have put in place protective steps to secure their user base during global elections.
(Incorporating information from various sources)
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