FBI Director Christopher Wray expresses concerns about TikTok

The FBI have expressed concerns that the Chinese government could use TikTok as a tool to control the data of millions of Americans.

FBI director Christopher Wray attended a Senate hearing on Wednesday day where he said that TikTok “screams” of a national security issue.

Wray said that the Chinese government could utilize TikTok as a tool to control software on US citizens’ devices and also cause divisions among Americans on certain issues, including Taiwan.

“Yes, and I would make the point on that last one, in particular, that we’re not sure that we would see many of the outward signs of it happening if it was happening,” Wray said.

Wray went on to add that “This is a tool that is ultimately within the control of the Chinese government – and it, to me, screams out with national security concern.”

Wray’s comments come on the back of legislation proposed by The House to give President Biden authority to ban TikTok if there was a serious threat of a security breach.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is used by over 100 million Americans.

Several other top US intelligence officials including director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA director William Burns and National Security Agency director Paul Nakasone concurred that TikTok should be taken seriously as a threat to national security.