Robert Besser
21 Jun 2022, 02:27 GMT+10
WASHINGTON D.C.: Republican U.S. senators have sent a letter to TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew about reports from Russia that TikTok continues to post Russian state-approved media content about the Ukraine war, while barring videos from those opposing the war.
"Recent reports indicate TikTok has allowed Russian state media to flood the platform with dangerous pro-war propaganda. No company should find itself in the position of amplifying the Kremlin's lies, which fuel public support for Russia's war of choice in Ukraine," according to a letter, signed by U.S. Senators Steve Daines, John Cornyn, Roger Wicker, John Barrasso, James Lankford and Cynthia Lummis.
In the letter, the senators wrote that they were "deeply concerned" that TikTok "is enabling the spread of pro-war propaganda to the Russian public, which risks adding to an already devastating human toll for both Ukrainians and Russians."
TikTok said in a statement to Reuters that the company was looking forward to answering the senators' questions.
In March, media reports stated that TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, said it would temporarily halt live-streaming and uploading of videos to its platform in Russia due to a new media law signed by President Vladimir Putin.
The senators have accused TikTok of failing "to equally enforce this
policy" and cited a news report that said it "appears TikTok belatedly closed this loophole on March 25."
The senators also said that "misleading, pro-regime content that flooded the service has not been taken down, creating an easily-accessible archive of pro-war propaganda."
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based internet technology company ByteDance, had earlier been the focus of U.S. lawmakers regarding the personal data it handles.
TikTok officials were the targets of tough questioning by U.S. congressmen at hearing last October.
TikTok has over 1 billion users globally, making it one of the world's top video platforms.
Get a daily dose of Australian Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.
More InformationCAIRO, Egypt: Egyptian authorities have prohibited swimming in a stretch of the Red Sea after an Australian woman was killed ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Bette Nash, age 86, has been named the longest serving flight attendant in the world, ...
LONDON, England: A UK parliamentary committee has told lawmakers that they may not bring babies to parliamentary proceedings and debates.The ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Hershel "Woody" Williams, the final surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War Two, has died at a ...
SEATTLE, Washington: A Norwegian cruise liner has canceled its sailing and returned to port after damage was discovered following its ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has said that since the U.S. and its allies imposed sanctions on Moscow ...
CAIRO, Egypt: Egyptian authorities have prohibited swimming in a stretch of the Red Sea after an Australian woman was killed ...
Washington [US], July 4 (ANI): A new study of ancient mass extinction suggests that ancient high latitudes, to which early ...
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday pledged further military support to Ukraine, including armored vehicles and drones, while meeting ...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people.On June 5 1960, ...
Since Australia's first Omicron wave after borders opened late last year, the pandemic has largely faded from the news and ...
Can historians influence government policy? Should they? And, if so, what kinds of historical knowledge should they produce?I suspect policy-makers ...