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A former executive at ByteDance, the Chinese company which owns the popular short-video app TikTok, says in a legal filing that some members of the ruling Communist Party used data held by the company to identify and locate protesters in Hong Kong.
Yintao Yu, formerly head of engineering for ByteDance in the U.S., says those same people had access to U.S. user data, an accusation that the company denies.
Yu, who worked for the company in 2018, made the allegations in a recent filing for a wrongful dismissal case filed in May in the San Francisco Superior Court. In the documents submitted to the court he said ByteDance had a “superuser” credential — also known as a god credential — that enabled a special committee of Chinese Communist Party members stationed at the company to view all data collected by ByteDance including those of U.S. users.
The credential acted as a “backdoor to any barrier ByteDance had supposedly installed to protect data from the C.C.P’s surveillance,” the filing says.
ByteDance said in a statement that Yu’s accusations were “baseless.”
“It’s curious that Mr. Yu has never raised these allegations in the five years since his employment for Flipagram was terminated in July 2018,” the company said, referring to an app that ByteDance later shut down for business reasons. “His actions are clearly intended to garner media attention.
“We plan to vigorously oppose what we believe are baseless claims and allegations in this complaint,” ByteDance said.
Charles Jung, Yu’s lawyer and a partner at the law firm Nassiri & Jung, said Yu chose to raise the allegations because he was “disturbed to hear the recent Congressional testimony of TikTok’s CEO” when Shou Zi Chew, a Singaporean, vehemently denied Chinese authorities had access to user data.
“Telling the truth openly in court is risky, but social change requires the courage to tell the truth,” Jung said. “It’s important to him that public policy be based on accurate information, so he’s determined to tell his story.”
TikTok is under intense scrutiny in the U.S. and worldwide over how it handles data and whether it poses a national security risk. Some American lawmakers have expressed concern that TikTok’s ties to ByteDance means the data it holds is subject to Chinese law.
They also contend that the app, which has over 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. and more than a billion users worldwide, could be used to expand China’s influence.
During the combative March House hearing, lawmakers from both parties grilled Chew over his company’s alleged ties to Beijing, data security and harmful content on the app. Chew repeatedly denied TikTok shares user data or has any ties with Chinese authorities.
To allay such concerns, TikTok has said that it would work with Oracle to store all U.S. data within the country.
In an earlier court filing, Yu accused ByteDance of serving as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese Communist Party by promoting nationalistic content and demoting content that does not serve the party’s aims. He also said that ByteDance was responsive to the Communist Party’s requests to share information.
Yu also accused ByteDance of scraping content from competitors and users to repost on its sites to exaggerate key engagement metrics. He says he was fired for sharing his concerns about “wrongful conduct” he saw with others in the company.
In mainland China, ByteDance operates Douyin, which is targeted at the domestic market. TikTok is its global app that is available in most other countries. It was also available in Hong Kong until TikTok pulled out of the market in 2020 following the imposition of a sweeping national security law.
Anyone who tries to open TikTok from within Hong Kong will see a message that reads “We regret to inform you that we have discontinued operating TikTok in Hong Kong.”
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A Black woman on TikTok publicly shamed a racist sitting next to her on a plane over texts he sent about Black and gay people to his family.
On Friday (May 26), Talia Rouse posted a video that showed her confronting a passenger sitting next to her sending off racist text messages. The travel blogger, who regularly posts tips and hotel reviews through her TikTok account to her 25,000 followers, was on a flight heading from Puerto Rico to Atlanta. The video begins with Rouse telling someone off-camera: “You know what? I wasn’t going to say anything … but I decided I want you to feel as uncomfortable as I do,” she began. “And I want you to know that I saw your text messages, and I think you’re disgusting.”
In the caption of the video, she stated that she initially glanced over at the phone of the man sitting next to her and saw “big Black woman” in a text. “He and his family went on and on about the woes of being stuck next to black and gay people,” Rouse recalled. “Then I see this man say he hopes airlines raise prices so these people get weeded out.”
She told the man that if airlines did start “weeding people out,” then maybe he can afford to sit with his family. “If you’re going to be bold enough to pull your phone out in the middle seat of an airplane and freely talk disrespectfully about Black people, then I’m going to be bold enough to say something to you,” she wrote in the video caption.
The man would offer an apology to Rouse, but she countered that it was only because she saw the texts. “You don’t have to be sorry to me. You’re sorry because I saw it,” she said. Rouse would post a follow-up video showing the man’s offensive text messages on the screen of the phone in response to a commenter asking, “We can’t even send texts to our family about how unpleasant you people are?” on the first video. She countered with the caption, ‘Not when you’re in the middle seat next to me, no.”
Rouse didn’t respond to further press inquiries.
Social media company TikTok Inc. filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to overturn Montana’s first-in-the-nation ban on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights and is based on “unfounded speculation” that the Chinese government could access users’ data. The lawsuit by TikTok itself follows one filed last week by five content […]
Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana’s first-in-the-nation ban on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.
The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn’t have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.
The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.
“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.
TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.
However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.
The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.
One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family’s household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.
The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”
“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.
The case could serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be difficult to enforce.
Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance, could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.
A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.
China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.
“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”
More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok from government-owned devices.
Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.
Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.
The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was halted in federal courts. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.
Montana’s law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.
Justin Timberlake got in on the fun on Tuesday (May 16) after a social media user pointed out the stark similarities between his wife and…Jessica Biel. The joke started when the TikTok user left a comment on the pop star’s video, writing, “I don’t know who you are but your girlfriend looks like Jessica Biel […]
Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that’s more sweeping than any other state’s attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company.
The measure, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.
“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.
TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights and is unlawful. She declined to say whether the company will file a lawsuit.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” Oberwetter said in a statement.
Keegan Medrano, policy director for the ACLU of Montana, said the Legislature “trampled on the free speech of hundreds of thousands of Montanans who use the app to express themselves, gather information and run their small business in the name of anti-Chinese sentiment.”
Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance, could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on American citizens or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.
When Montana banned the app on government-owned devices in late December, Gianforte said TikTok posed a “significant risk” to sensitive state data. More than half of U.S. states and the federal government have a similar ban.
On Wednesday, Gianforte also announced he was prohibiting the use of all social media applications tied to foreign adversaries on state equipment and for state businesses in Montana effective on June 1. Among the apps he listed are WeChat, whose parent company is headquartered in China; and Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia.
The legislation, drafted by the attorney general’s office, easily passed through Montana’s GOP-controlled Legislature.
Gianforte had wanted to expand the TikTok bill to include apps tied to foreign adversaries, but the legislature did not send the bill to him until after the session ended, preventing him from offering any amendments.
Montana’s new law prohibits downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.
Opponents consider the measure to be government overreach and say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.
TikTok, which has said it has a plan to protect U.S. users, has vowed to fight back against the ban, along with small business owners who said they use the app for advertising to help grow their businesses and reach more customers.
The app’s fun, goofy videos and ease of use has made it immensely popular, and U.S. tech giants like Snapchat and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, see it as a competitive threat.
Though many lawmakers in Montana have been enthusiastic about a ban, experts who followed the bill closely said the state will likely have to defend the legislation in court.
NetChoice, a trade group that counts Google and TikTok as its members, called the bill unconstitutional.
“This is a clear violation of the Constitution, which prohibits the government from blocking Americans from accessing constitutionally-protected speech online via websites or apps,” Carl Szabo, who serves as the group’s vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.
Officials are also bound to receive criticism from advocacy groups and TikTok users who don’t want their favorite app to be taken away. TikTok has been recruiting so-called influencers and small businesses who use the platform to push back on a ban. But others who haven’t been part of an official campaign coordinated by the company are also worried about what lawmakers are doing.
Adam Botkin, a former football player and recent graduate at the University of Montana, said it was a scary time for him as a content creator in Montana. The 22-year-old has nearly 170,000 followers on TikTok, where he mostly posts short videos of himself performing football kicks.
He says he sometimes makes “tens of thousands” of dollars per month from brands looking to market their products on his social media accounts, including Instagram, where he has roughly 44,000 followers.
Botkin says most of his income comes from Instagram, which is believed to be more lucrative for content creators. But he has to grow his following on that platform — and others — to have the same level of popularity that he does on TikTok. He says he’s trying to do that, and won’t try to circumvent the TikTok ban by using a VPN.
“You got to adapt and evolve with how things move,” Botkin said. “So, if I have to adapt and move, I’ll adapt.”
Chatter about a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was halted in federal courts. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.
TikTok doesn’t want either option and has been clamoring to prove it’s free of any Chinese government interference. It’s also touting a data safety plan it calls “Project Texas” to assuage bipartisan concerns in Washington.
At the same time, some lawmakers have emerged as allies, arguing efforts to restrict data harvesting practices need to include all social media companies, not just one. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked a bill in March that would ban TikTok nationally, saying such a move would violate the Constitution and anger the millions of voters who use the app.
Montana’s TikTok ban also comes amid a growing movement to limit social media use among kids and teens and, in some cases, impose bans. Several bills circulating in Congress aim to get at the issue, including one that would prohibit all children under the age of 13 from using social media and require permission from a guardian for users under 18 to create an account.
Some states, like Utah and Arkansas, have already enacted laws that would hinge social media use on parental consent and similar bills are in the works in other states. Last year, California enacted a law that would require companies to beef up data protection practices for children and offer them the highest privacy settings.
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TikTok is beloved for its ability to introduce us to new and awe-worthy products in under a minute — especially when it comes to new beauty releases or makeup tools for beginners. Whether it’s eco-friendly refillable lipsticks, lengthening mascaras, blow dryers that won’t damage your hair or hydrating lip balms, you can practically rebuild your entire skincare, haircare and makeup routine in just one scroll.
Unfortunately, once these TikTok beauty products go viral, it’s common for them to fly off the shelves — or the product comes with jaw-dropping results paired with a hefty price tag that you might not be able to afford. Thankfully, there are TikTok beauty alternatives that can step in and provide results that are just as hydrating, blurring and plumping as higher-priced products, without blowing your budget.
From Rihanna to Lady Gaga: 6 Artists Who Launched Their Own Beauty Brands
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If you’re over waiting for those viral beauty finds to be restocked, we’ve found TikTok beauty alternatives to replace those popular, always sold-out products. Below, see our list of 10 affordable beauty dupes that you can shop online from retailers like Amazon, Sephora and Ulta Beauty.
For additional shopping recommendations, check out our roundups of celeb-loved beauty products, music artist-created beauty brands and where to buy Dyson’s Airstrait.
Amazon
e.l.f. Power Grip Primer, Gel-Based & Hydrating Face Primer
$9.99
Made with a gel-like consistency that’s clear and aims to grip makeup for all-day wear, e.l.f.’s Power Grip Primer is a worthy opponent to the beloved Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer that’s triple the cost. Plus, this formula is non-comedogenic so it won’t clog pores!
Ulta Beauty
NYX HD Photogenic Concealer
$6
Concealer is a classic staple item offering coverage over black circles, acne and more. The NYX HD Photogenic Concealer provides a vegan and cruelty-free formula in a range of shades that glides over the skin while offering an under-$10 option that can easily replace the viral NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.
Revolution Beauty
Makeup Revolution Fast Base Contour Stick
$8
With three shades to choose from, you can contour your face and highlight at the same time. The Makeup Revolution Fast Base Contour Stick delivers creamy and snatch-worthy results that are easy to blend in and will have you ditching the TikTok-loved Fenty Beauty Match Stix Contour Skinstick.
Ulta Beauty
Social media has been obsessed with Drunk Elephant’s Bronzing Drops since the moment they were released, making them almost impossible to snag. Thankfully, Fenty Beauty’s Eaze Drop’Lit All-Over Glow Enhancer is the perfect alternative for providing a sheer yet natural looking glow that’s also lightweight, hydrating and reduces the look of pores. Rihanna wouldn’t steer you wrong!
Makeup Revolution Blush Bomb Creamer Blush
$9
Liquid blush is having a moment, especially once Rare Beauty’s Liquid Pinch Blush entered the scene, thanks to Selena Gomez‘s in-demand brand. If you’re not looking to dish out $23 every time you need a restock though, Makeup Revolution’s Blush Bomb is just as pigmented and features a wallet-friendly pricetag that’s lightweight and buildable.
elf
e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
$14
Whether you’re looking to achieve the trendy glazed-doughnut look or glass-like skin, a highlighter is essential for giving off a luminescent glow. While most TikTokers would reach for the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter to illuminate their skin, e.l.f.’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter gives equal results (and for a fraction of the cost). Use it alone as a highlighter or mix it into your foundation for a natural, glowy appearance.
Morphe
Morphe 2 Glassified Lip Oil
$9
Lip balms are a timeless beauty product you can take with you on the go for quick, hydrating applications. Social media has been in a frenzy over the Summer Friday Lip Butter Balm, but the Morphe Glassified Lip Oil is an alternative that should not be overlooked. The formula boasts ingredients like moringa, jojoba and coconut oil, which will moisturize your pout while providing a glossy appearance to complete looks ranging from minimalist to glam.
Sephora
Inkey List Omega Water Cream
$10.99
Clear hydrated skin starts with a quality moisturizer, which TikTok has deemed to be Laniege Water Cream. Rather than burn a hole in your wallet to obtain smooth skin, Inkey List’s Omega Water Cream comes at a sweet $11 and uses a water-based gel that’s non-oily and works to balance your skin tone and oil levels.
Walmart
e.l.f. Cosmetics Brow Lift Gel
$6
Create fluffy brows or craft the coveted soap-brow look with e.l.f.’s Brow Lift putty that’ll provide all-day hold using a clear, mess-free formula. Just use a spoolie and apply the gel to your brows and watch as the hairs stay right where you style them. After one brush and fluff, you’ll say goodbye to the TikTok-obsessed Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze.
Amazon
L’Oreal Paris Cosmetics COLOUR RICHE LES NUS NU INTENSE
$6.97 $9.99 30% OFF
The Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Lipstick has developed a cult following for its rich, matte color and buildable formula that’ll add a pop of color to your look. Rather than drop $35 per tube, L’Oreal Paris has an alternative that’s just as vibrant, hydrating and smoochable. Plus, it offers just as wide of a range of shades to stock up on.
Lizzo thinks it’s about d–n time for TikTok to stop excluding her videos from its algorithm. In a recent video, the hitmaker told her followers that she thinks the platform has shadow banned her after noticing that her posts have been performing suspiciously better on Instagram than on TikTok in terms of view counts. Explore […]
ByteDance is closing the free tier of its music streaming service Resso, the company announced on Wednesday (May 3). The move to premium-only streaming takes place on May 11, according to a statement from ByteDance, and current users on the ad-supported tier will be offered a 30-day free trial of the premium service.
“Resso premium is already a best-in-class music service with ad-free listening and a host of personalized and social features,” Ole Obermann, ByteDance’s global head of music, said in a statement. “Resso’s move to a premium-only service will allow the development of a better user experience for music fans, while increasing opportunities for rightsholders and artists. We are committed to building the world’s leading social music streaming platform and ensuring artists and music creators can rightly benefit from its growing success.”
ByteDance initially launched Resso in March 2020; it is currently available only in India, Indonesia, and Brazil. Last year, ByteDance entered into conversations with major music rights holders about moving its music streaming service into additional countries in Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Those conversations are complicated by the fact that the music industry is hoping for better payouts from another ByteDance company, the massively successful app TikTok.
“No one right now wants to help ByteDance expand into significant material marketplaces without them fixing the TikTok situation,” an executive told Billboard last year. And Sony Music’s contract with Resso expired in September, meaning its catalog, including the music of stars like Beyoncé and Doja Cat, is not available on the service.
Streaming subscriptions are a key driver of music industry revenue. Paid subscription streaming revenue cracked $10 billion in the U.S. for the first time in 2022, according to the RIAA, accounting for 77% of all streaming revenue and nearly two thirds of total revenue. This means it’s likely that the music industry will be heartened by Resso’s focus on growing its premium subscriber numbers.
“Their plans in subscription are something we definitely want to encourage,” a major label executive told Billboard last year. “We love to see that huge funnel of a billion consumers connected to a value-creative experience.”
Lizzo stripped down to nothing but swimwear to dance it out ahead of her show in St. Louis on Tuesday.
In the clip posted to TikTok, the singer wears a blue-and-white tie-dyed bikini, pink swim cap and oversize black shades as she gets down to “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” Nelly, P. Diddy and Murphy Lee’s 2004 single from the Bad Boys II soundtrack. In the background from her rooftop view, the famous St. Louis arch is clearly visible as sirens blare and the song starts with the rappers chanting, “We do it for fun/ We just do it for fun/ We Derrty ENT/ We do it for fun/ Bad Boy/ Nelly, Diddy, Murphy Lee!”
Lizzo is currently back on the road for another leg of her ongoing Special Tour, which has recently kicked off again with stops in Knoxville, Tenn. — where she trotted out drag queens Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Kandy Muse, Aquaria and Asia O’Hara to protest the state’s discriminatory anti-drag and anti-LGBTQ+ laws — and Lexington, Ky. Next, she’s headed to Canada for a show at Montreal’s Bell Centre on May 4 before continuing on to Hartford, Conn.; Baltimore; Raleigh, N.C.; and beyond.
The pop star’s carefree dance moves prove she continues to remain determinedly unbothered by the recent onslaught of fat-phobic insults and other body-shaming commentary sparked by conservative commentator Candace Owens and perpetuated by swarms of online trolls.
Over the weekend, Lizzo emerged as the big winner at the 2023 Detroit Music Awards by taking home four awards and sweeping the night.
Watch Lizzo’s bikini-clad dance to “Shake Ya Tailfeather” below.