Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Call for TikTok security check before HQ decision

Call for TikTok security check before HQ decision

An influential backbench MP has called on the government to carry out a security review of TikTok before its Chinese owner decides whether to base the app in the UK.

Neil O'Brien - co-founder of the China Research Group of Tory MPs - said the intelligence services should publish a report into the matter.

President Trump is threatening to ban TikTok in the US.

This has forced the app to ditch plans to establish its headquarters there.

TikTok had been expected to pick California or New York - where it already has offices - after appointing an American ex-Disney executive as its chief executive in May.

However, the US president has since given it an ultimatum to sell its local business to an American firm.

"I set a date of around 15 September, at which point it's going to be out of business in the United States... unless Microsoft or somebody else is able to buy it and work out a deal," said Donald Trump on Monday.

He added that "a very substantial portion of that price" should go to the US Treasury "because we're making it possible for this deal to happen".

Microsoft has confirmed it is in talks to buy TikTok's service in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - all the members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, except the UK.

The app's Chinese parent company Bytedance has confirmed this had forced a rethink.

"In light of the current situation, Bytedance has been evaluating the possibility of establishing TikTok's headquarters outside of the US, to better serve our global users," it said in a brief statement.

The Sun newspaper had reported on the weekend that the UK government had already approved TikTok setting up its HQ in London, and an announcement would be made this week.

However a source told the BBC that Bytedance had yet to make a final decision, although London was on a short list of possibilities.

Dublin and Singapore have been reported to be the other options.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said any decision would be a "commercial one" taken by Bytedance, and added that Boris Johnson had not discussed the issue with President Trump.

'Deep dive'


The China Research Group represents a group of about 50 MPs who are concerned about Beijing's influence in the UK.

It previously helped pressure the government into a rethink on Huawei, and has also raised concerns about plans to let Chinese companies invest in UK nuclear power stations.





Mr O'Brien said he was not opposed in principle to the idea of TikTok being based in London, but said a "deep dive" into its code should be carried out first.

"It would be useful for the government to use the kind of specialists in cyber-security that only it has access to, to give us a definitive view of whether the app is safe," he told the BBC.

"[If it is] we should welcome investment by TikTok in the country.

"But if there are problems, as some media reports have suggested, with either political interference in its algorithms and the content that's shown, or about where the data is ending up and a lack of security - well that would raise a whole bunch of other questions."

TikTok has said that it strictly abides by local laws.

It currently stores data from its international users on servers based in the US and Singapore. This keeps it separate from that of users in mainland China, who use TikTok's sister app Douyin.

Location data


While the government has not commented on a security review, as a matter of course GCHQ looks into any cyber-issue flagged as a national security threat by the US.

Two points are believed to be of particular concern to the agency.

Firstly, whether Chinese spies could get access to the geo-location data - including GPS coordinates and internet addresses - logged by the app.

Secondly, the degree to which the app could be subverted to push certain political content at users.

While TikTok says it would not send international users' data back to China, there is concern it would be compelled to do so if Beijing invoked its National Intelligence Law.

It obligates Chinese citizens to "support, assist and cooperate" with the country's intelligence services and to keep such activity secret.

Such concerns have to be weighed against the prestige of hosting TikTok's headquarters, and the degree to which doing so might help repair relations with Beijing following a ban of the use of Huawei's 5G kit.

"If TikTok decided to base its new HQ in London, it would certainly cement it as a global tech hub," commented Chloe Colliver from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue think tank.

"There are already some very prominent start-ups, but TikTok is one of the fastest growing tech companies in the world."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×