TikTok set to remove executive tasked with fending off US national security concerns over app’s China ties, sources say
- The US-based general counsel for TikTok and ByteDance has led years-long talks with the American government
- On Saturday, the US House approved a bill requiring TikTok to be sold by its Chinese parent or face a ban in the US
TikTok is preparing to remove a key executive responsible for convincing the US government that the company was doing enough to stave off national security concerns about its connections to China, according to people familiar with the matter.
Erich Andersen, the US-based general counsel for TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, has led years-long talks with the American government meant to show that the app was doing enough to prevent China from accessing US users’ data or influencing what they see on their feeds.
Those efforts failed to win over an inter-agency government panel conducting a security review of the app and lawmakers in Washington weighing legislation that would force its divestiture.
The company is planning for Andersen to exit his current role, according to the people, who discussed the move on condition of anonymity. Andersen remains with the company for now, according to one of the people.