“We are live on TikTok!” the British Parliament tweeted last week in an effort to reach more young people via the social video network. In the first TikTok video, the British asked: “Where is the best place to take a selfie with Big Ben”. But the page did not exist for long: the account was deleted again on Wednesday, after some politicians objected about data security risks of the China-based social media company.
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Members of the British House of Commons and House of Lords said, according to the English newspaper: The Guardian not have been informed or consulted about setting up the account. “The account was an attempt to appeal to a younger audience – who are not always active on our existing social media platforms – regarding the work of parliament,” according to the presidents of parliament a day after the launch. The account has been closed “with immediate effect”.
Sanctioned Tories
Leading Conservative politicians, sanctioned by China for criticizing the treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities in China’s Xinjiang region, were the first to objection against the account. They warned that under China’s security law, a Chinese company would be required to provide users’ personal information to the Beijing government. The Tories urged that the account be deleted until there are “guarantees” that data will not be passed on.
When asked, a TikTok spokesperson told The Guardian that she has offered to ‘reassure’ the concerned MPs. She also said she would like to explain “any inaccuracies” about the platform.