It was in an interview with Fox news that Pompeo mentioned a total ban on, among other things, Tiktok, and that it is a matter the government takes "most seriously".
On a direct question about the United States considering banning Chinese apps, and especially Tiktok, Pompeo responded:
- Regarding Chinese apps on people's phones, I can assure you that the US will do the right thing. I don't want to blame President Trump on the issue, but this is definitely something we're looking at now, Mike Pompeo said in an interview with Fox.
Forbidden in IndiaThe video app Tiktok is the world's fastest growing social media site right now. The fact that Tiktok has Chinese owners has led to hot international debate.
An American top diplomat tells CNN that Tiktok should only be used "if you want your personal data to fall into the hands of the Communist Party of China.
Just Tiktok has been the subject of criticism in several countries lately. Last week, Tiktok and several other social media apps from China were banned in India, citing the risk of espionage.
Tiktok himself commented on Pompeo's statement in a press release:
“Tiktok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees in the United States. Our main priority is to promote a safe experience for our users. We have never shared our data with the Chinese government, nor would we do so if we were asked.