“TikTok poses a problem and is a problem. We are concerned about Americans’ data, the collection of Americans’ data, and the potential risk to national security. We have been very clear about this,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.
But the Chinese application is also in the sights of Western governments because it “represents a softpower tool”, believes Yosra Jarraya, cybersecurity expert, whom we interviewed. “In the specific case of TikTok, that means pushing content that gives a more positive image of China, consuming other types of content that bring Chinese culture closer… And in that sense, it is an instrument of softpower,” explains the co-founder of d’Astran, which specializes in cybersecurity. “From the point of view of the Americans, who until then were the kings of soft power, it must be quite surprising for them to see another nation capable of deploying this level of influence. »