TikTok is denying reports that it plans to remove Erich Andersen, the general counsel responsible for negotiating with the U.S. government. Andersen, who was hired by TikTok in 2020 as its global head counsel, has been leading talks with the American government to assure them that TikTok is keeping American data separate from Chinese Communist Party access.
However, recent investigative reports have revealed that Chinese engineers may have backdoor access to U.S. data, and the CCP directly accessed TikTok data of Hong Kong users. In response, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would require TikTok to be sold by its Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a ban in the United States.
Despite reports of Andersen’s potential departure, TikTok has denied these claims, with spokesperson Alex Haurek calling them “100% false.” However, an internal note reportedly sent by Andersen mentioned a transition period, indicating that he may be stepping down from his role.
TikTok is preparing for various contingencies to combat a potential ban in the United States, including potentially fighting the ban in court. The social media giant plans to argue that banning TikTok would violate the First Amendment right to free speech and impact small businesses that rely on the platform for marketing.
As the fight over TikTok escalates, the company’s future in the United States remains uncertain. If the ban goes into effect, TikTok’s allies across the globe could follow suit, impacting its global presence and e-commerce business.