TikTok owner ByteDance spends record US$2.14 million on US lobbying amid scrutiny over app’s privacy and security practices

The Beijing-based company’s lobbying spending increased nearly 130 per cent from the first quarter, a sign that TikTok’s government affairs operation is escalating its attention to Congress after a lull. This year’s second-quarter spending increased 16.3 per cent over a year earlier, when the company spent US$1.84 million.

TikTok has been the object of increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and officials, who have expressed concerns in recent months over the data privacy granted to US users and whether their personal information can be accessed by the Chinese government.