TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned social media video-sharing app, has been blocked by the United States Marine Corps. The decision from the Marines follows a ban from the Army and Navy on government phones because of the cybersecurity threat, according to TMZ.
TikTok is based in Beijing and has been downloaded over 110 million times in the United States.
“This decision is consistent with our efforts to proactively address existing and emerging threats as we secure and defend our network,” Captain Hector Alejandro of the Marine Forces Cyberspace Command told the website.
Recently, United States Senators sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire asking him to investigate what type of “national security risk” the app poses.
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“Given these concerns, we ask that the Intelligence Community conduct an assessment of the national security risks posed by TikTok and other China-based content platforms operating in the U.S. and brief Congress on these findings,” a letter from Senator Chuck Schumer and Tom Cotton read, according to the New York Post.
The company, however, claims that its servers are based out of China and that they are committed to transparency for its users. The app is also not available within China.
“At TikTok, we take these issues incredibly seriously as well. We are committed to transparency and accountability in how we support our TikTok users in the US and around the world,” the statement from TikTok read. “TikTok does not remove content based on sensitivities related to China. We have never been asked by the Chinese government to remove any content and we would not do so if asked. Period.”
TikTok was first launched in 2017 and is available for download on iOS and Android devices. Earlier this year, TikTok hit one billion downloads globally with the app available in over 150 markets and 75 languages.