The company cited security risks raised by the social video app.
Amazon, citing security risks, told its employees Friday to uninstall
social video app TikTok from any mobile devices they use to access
their work email.
The move comes
amid a broader backlash against TikTok, in part due to questions around
possible ties to Beijing. TikTok is owned by Chinese tech firm
ByteDance.
What Amazon saying:
"Due to security
risk, the TikTok app is no longer permitted on mobile devices that
access Amazon email," Amazon said in the note, which was seen by Axios.
- The note said for the time being workers can still access TikTok via the browser on their work laptops.
- "While
Amazon did not communicate to us before sending their email, and we
still do not understand their concerns, we welcome a dialogue so we can
address any issues they may have and enable their team to continue
participating in our community," TikTok said in a statement, per Yahoo Finance's Daniel Roberts.
- An Amazon representative was not immediately available for comment.
Broad concerns about Chinese government influence on ByteDance have
periodically given way weeks to more specific security concerns raised
around TikTok.
- A new privacy feature in the next version of
Apple's iOS recently revealed that TikTok, alongside a number of other
apps, was accessing material users had copied to their device clipboards
without their knowledge or consent. TikTok said it would halt the practice.
- Cybersecurity researchers in the past have found flaws
in TikTok that hackers could exploit to steal user information. TikTok
has said it has patched such holes as they've been discovered.
The Trump administration is considering banning TikTok over national security concerns. India, which is locked in a border
conflict with China, announced last week that it will do just that.