Sen. Schumer Warns TSA Still Using TikTok App Vulnerable To China; Agency Denies Risk
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - New York's senior senator accused the Transportation Security Administration of using a social media app owned by China, opening up a potential security risk on government information - a risk the agency was quick to deny.
Sen. Charles Schumer said on Sunday the risks to American and federal agency security via the TikTok app "remain very real" and urged the TSA to cease its use of TikTok.
Schumer says the TSA should not be exempt from an existing ban on its use, especially given its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, already has a prohibition policy in place.
The agency issued a statement Sunday in response, denying any use of the social media app.
"The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has an active and award-winning presence on several social media platforms," it read. "However, TSA has never published any content to Tik Tok nor has it ever directed viewers to Tik Tok. A small number of TSA employees have previously used Tik Tok on their personal devices to create videos for use in TSA's social media outreach, but that practice has since been suspended."
