US anti-TikTok policy shows 'falseness', 'double standards': Cuban FM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Apr 2023 09:15

Cuba's Foreign Minister says the US government should protect citizens from the practices of US digital platforms, which control 80% of Internet users' data.

Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla (Reuters)

Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said on Monday that Washington's policy against Chinese video-sharing app TikTok shows its "falseness and double standards" while American digital platforms "control 80% of Internet users data."

"The US standing against TikTok shows the falseness and double standards of its government that uses US technological platforms to censoring, disinformation, collection and sale of data," Rodriguez tweeted.

Washington "might instead explain to its citizens and the rest of the world its violations of the freedom of expression and its excessive struggle for technological hegemony," the top Cuban diplomat considered.

Rodriguez indicated that "the US government knows that the solution is not to ban an individual company but to protect citizens from the atrocious practices of digital platforms, particularly American, which control 80% of Internet users data."

The US standing against TikTok shows the falseness and double standards of its government that uses US technological platforms to censoring, disinformation, collection and sale of data.

1/3
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) April 10, 2023

Over the past weeks, TikTok has been under the strict scrutiny of US lawmakers over concerns that the company can collect the personal data of 150 million users in the US and hand it over to the Chinese government.

In early March, the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs approved a bill that will allow the US government to ban TikTok or any other foreign app if they are believed to be a threat to national security.

On March 23, TikTok CEO Zi Chew testified before the US Congress to answer questions related to the company’s relations with the Chinese government.

The #US has been in a frenzy about banning #TikTok. pic.twitter.com/WsagDlLQq0
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 1, 2023

"ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company," Chew told lawmakers in his opening remarks; ByteDance being TikTok's China-based parent company.

"We believe what's needed are clear transparent rules that apply broadly to all tech companies -- ownership is not at the core of addressing these concerns," he added.

The CEO noted TikTok's efforts to safeguard US user data and denied claims that the platform colluded with the Chinese government. However, US lawmakers still expressed skepticism about the statements and called for a ban.

Western governments have banned TikTok from public servants' phones. The app was banned in more than half of the American states, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, the Netherlands, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning also affirmed in March that China "has never and will not require companies or individuals to collect or provide data located in a foreign country, in a way that violates local law."