TikTok Whistleblower’s Claims Scrutinized by DC: Are They Credible?

Former TikTok⁢ Employee Files Lawsuits Alleging US⁣ Government Collusion

Yasser Abou-Nasr Goziker, a former TikTok ⁤employee, has filed lawsuits⁢ against the company and the US government, claiming that American executives at TikTok Inc. and certain federal government officials‍ have conspired in a fraudulent scheme. Goziker, who worked as a risk manager at TikTok, alleges that his concerns about the app’s ⁢data practices were dismissed by the company.

I am free, I am ⁣honest, and I am doing this only because I am an American and because USA desperately need help⁣ and I cannot keep this truth away from PUBLIC,

Goziker said in an email to WIRED.

Lawsuits Filed Against US Government Officials

In March, Goziker filed a lawsuit against Attorney General ​Merrick Garland, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and their respective agencies. According to ⁤Sean Jiang, Goziker’s lawyer, the lawsuits aim to expose the⁢ alleged collusion between TikTok Inc. executives and American federal government officials.

Goziker’s Efforts to Share Concerns

Records shared by Goziker with WIRED show that he scheduled meetings with officials from the Department⁣ of Homeland ⁢Security, Federal ‌Bureau of Investigation, and‍ the Tennessee Attorney General’s office to share his concerns about TikTok.​ He also claims to have met with staff members from the offices of several US senators, including Josh Hawley (R-MO),⁢ Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Mark Warner ⁤(D-VA), who chairs the ⁤Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Congressional​ Scrutiny of TikTok

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew recently testified before the House​ Energy and Commerce Committee, facing tough questions about the app’s ties ‍to China. Following the hearing, Representatives ‌Jan Schakowsky (D) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) sent letters to Chew, launching an ‌investigation into whether TikTok‌ misled users by denying that individuals in China had access to their data.

Potential Ban on TikTok in the US

As Goziker’s lawsuits progress, ⁤US ‍lawmakers have moved ​closer to banning TikTok.​ The House of Representatives recently passed a bill ⁢that would require‍ ByteDance, TikTok’s parent⁢ company, to sell ‌off⁤ the app within⁤ six months,​ after which it would become⁢ illegal to download from US app stores. The legislation is currently under consideration by the ⁢Senate, and President Joe Biden‍ has expressed his intention to sign it into law if passed.

Update: ⁤The House passed the bill that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok with a clear majority, but not unanimously, on April 4, 2024.