TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users

TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users

SUMMARY

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer wrote that the app would never share data of Indian users with China

TikTok shared its plans of setting up an engineering centre, developing products in India

The company confirmed that it won’t pursue legal action against the ban

Video-sharing app TikTok, one of the 59 Chinese apps banned by India earlier this week, tried to publicly dissociate itself from China, according to a correspondence seen by Reuters

In a letter to the Indian government this week, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer wrote that the Chinese government had never requested data of Indian users, nor would the company turn it over if asked. 

“I can confirm that the Chinese government has never made a request to us for the TikTok data of Indian users,” Mayer wrote. “If we do ever receive such a request in the future, we would not comply.” He added that Indian users data was stored in servers in Singapore. 

According to an Inc42 report, Mayer had requested a meeting with IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to explain the app’s data-sharing practices. Mayer, in his letter, also shared plans for setting up an engineering centre and developing indigenous products in India.

India, on June 29, banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular ones such as ByteDance-owned TikTok, Alibaba-owned UC Browser and Tencent’s WeChat, saying that the app-makers were engaged in activities prejudicial to the “sovereignty and integrity of India.”

TikTok Says No Plans To Pursue Legal Action

Later, Indian officials confirmed that the companies would be given an opportunity to present their case and clarify their position, according to the provisions of the Information Technology Act. 

An inter-ministerial committee has been set up to investigate data-sharing practices of the banned Chinese apps and will begin hearings in the matter next week. 

Legal action against the ban was unlikely to be successful since the government had cited national security as one of the reasons for making the decision.

Days after its ban, TikTok India clarified that the company had no plans to pursue legal action against the ban, but was committed to working with and addressing the concerns of the government. 

On Wednesday, Mayer, in an address to the company’s 2000 employees in India, said that the company would do “everything in its power to restore the positive experiences and opportunities that they can be proud of.”

With 200 Mn users and more than 120 Mn active monthly users, India is the video-sharing platform’s largest overseas market.

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users-Inc42 Media
TikTok Says China Never Requested Data Of Indian Users-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company