SVT and Swedish Radio have banned their employees from using the Chinese video app Tiktok on the work phone.

The app is owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, which means that there is a suspicion that users' data is available to Chinese authorities, even if the owners reject these claims.

"Facebook is used commercially"

After Kulturnyheterna reported on the public service companies' decisions, a debate has flared up about SVT and SR should also leave platforms such as Facebook. It has previously been revealed that internet companies such as Apple, Youtube and Facebook share information with the US NSA, the National Security Agency, the equivalent of the Swedish FRA.

But journalist and China expert Jojje Olsson does not think it is possible to equate Chinese Tiktok with Facebook in this case.

- Facebook and similar apps collect information about their users. It is inevitable. However, this information is mostly used for commercial purposes.

Spreads regime propaganda

In China, domestic internet companies act as tools to spread propaganda and undermine liberal values, says Jojje Olsson.

- It's completely different. Under new legislation, Chinese companies must provide all the information requested by authorities and police. In addition, these Internet companies are often used as tools to spread the Chinese regime's propaganda and to undermine a liberal world order.