TikTok hits 150 million monthly users in the US, up from 100 million in 2020 According to Reuters
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of the TikTok app is seen on a mobile phone screen in this illustration taken February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Siddiqui/Illustration of Denmark
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – TikTok said on Monday the short video-sharing app now has 150 million monthly active users in the United States, up from 100 million it said in 2020.
The Chinese-owned app confirmed the figure ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony on Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
On Friday, six more US senators supported bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden new powers to ban TikTok for national security reasons. Last week, TikTok said the Biden administration had asked the Chinese owners to divest their stake in the app or it could face a US ban.
The app faces growing pressure in Washington, including calls to ban the app by many in Congress, who fear its US user data could fall into the wrong hands. Chinese government. TikTok said in September 2021 that globally it has more than 1 billion monthly users.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, who is co-sponsoring legislation that would give the administration more power to ban TikTok, said at the Christian Science Monitor breakfast that he doesn’t think TikTok’s data in the U.S. States are safe.
“This hypothetical idea that data can be secured under the (Chinese Communist Party) law just doesn’t, doesn’t pass the odor test.”
TikTok says it has spent more than $1.5 billion on rigorous data security efforts, denies espionage allegations and says “if protecting national security is the goal, then divestment.” doesn’t solve the problem: changing ownership will not impose any new restrictions on data flow or access.”
The new figures are an indication that the app has become widely popular, especially among young Americans. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Bloomberg News that there could be political ramifications to the TikTok ban. “The politician in me thinks you’ll literally lose every voter under the age of 35,” she said.
Several TikTok content creators are coming to Washington this week to give reasons why the app shouldn’t be banned.
