By Michael V. Cusenza
Though the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has banned its agencies from using the China-owned TikTok application, the Transportation Security Administration is still using the app on social media, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer revealed Sunday.
According to Schumer, the risks to American and federal agency security via the platform remain very real and urged the TSA to cease its use of TikTok. Schumer says the TSA should not be exempt from the ban, especially given its parent agency already has a prohibition policy in place.
Even amidst federal inquiries into the TikTok app, Schumer said the TSA was posting—and continues to post—a variety of videos from agency accounts, which raises security concerns, according to New York’s senior senator. On Thanksgiving, the TSA posted a TikTok that went viral related to the “nopes” and “yeps” of carry-on luggage. And this past Valentine’s Day, the agency posted “romantic tips” for travelers in another TikTok. In addition, Schumer said, the official TSA account on twitter shares these TikToks, which garner hundreds of views. And the official “AskTSA” Twitter account even comments on them.
Last October, Schumer sent a letter to then-Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire requesting that the intelligence community conduct an assessment of the national security risks posed by TikTok and other China-owned content platforms operating in the United States. Schumer said that national security experts have raised concerns about TikTok’s collection and handling of user data, including user content and communications, IP addresses, location-related data, metadata, and other sensitive personal information, particularly when viewed in light of laws that compel Chinese companies to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Schumer added in the missive that, due to a lack of transparency and without an independent judiciary to review requests made by the Chinese government for user data or other actions, that there is no legal mechanism for Chinese companies to appeal if they disagree with a request by the government.
“These videos sure do make you chuckle; they’re creative,” Schumer said Sunday. “But China might be laughing at these TSA postings for very different reasons, and that should concern us and it’s why I am urging the TSA to find a different platform, and cease its use of TikTok now.”
Schumer also recently fired off a letter to TSA Administrator David Pekoske regarding TikTok.
“While I recognize that the TSA must adapt its outreach techniques in order to communicate with a variety of Americans, I urge you to assess the potential national security risks posed by China-owned technology companies before choosing to utilize certain platforms,” the senator wrote.
A TSA spokesperson told The Forum this week that while the agency “has an active and award-winning presence on several social media platforms,” it “has never published any content to TikTok nor has it ever directed viewers to TikTok. A small number of TSA employees have previously used TikTok on their personal devices to create videos for use in TSA’s social media outreach, but that practice has since been discontinued.”
Photo Courtesy of TikTok
