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Professional gamer Ninja revealed that he will no longer use the video creating app TikTok. The internet personality, whose real name is Richard Tyler Blevins, cited issues with the social media platform collecting data and privacy concerns as the reason for his decision. TikTok, which has gained one billion users in two years, has recently been targeted over privacy concerns, and whether or not the Chinese government has access to user data.
"I have deleted the TIK TOK app off all my devices," Blevins Tweeted to his six million followers on July 9. "Hopefully a less intrusive company (data farming) that isn't owned by China can recreate the concept legally, such funny and amazing content on the app from influencers."
I have deleted the TIK TOK app off all my devices. Hopefully a less intrusive company (data farming) that isn’t owned by China can recreate the concept legally, such funny and amazing content on the app from influencers.
— Ninja (@Ninja) July 9, 2020
This announcement comes after President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. was considering banning TikTok on Monday, July 6.
During an appearance on The Ingram Angle, Pompeo mentioned that they were "looking at TikTok," and referenced prior actions against China's tech firms Huawei and ZTE.
"We have worked on this very issue for a long time, whether it's the problem of having Huawei technology in your infrastructure... we had declared ZTE a danger to American national security. We have done all of these things," Pompeo explained. "I don't want to get out in front of the president but it's something we are looking at."
When Pompeo was asked if U.S. citizens should download and use the short-form video content app, Pompeo responded, "Only if you want your private information in the the hands of the Chinese Communist Party." These comments came after India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps over data collecting concerns.
The next day, when asked about Pompeo's comments by Gray Television's Greta Van Susteren, President Trump implied that he was considering banning TikTok in the U.S. as a way of punishing China for the coronavirus pandemic, as per Bloomberg.
"It's a big business," he said on July 7. "Look, what happened with China with this virus, what they've done to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful." Trump added that banning the video creating app was "one of many" options he weighed when it came to punishing China.
TikTok has consistently denied having any access to user data. Following Pompeo's comments, a TikTok spokesperson told CNN in a statement: "TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product, and public policy here in the U.S. We have no higher priority than promoting a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked."
TikTok is owned by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance. Since May, TikTok has been operated by former Disney streaming executive Kevin Maye.
Newsweek did not receive comment from Richard Tyler Blevins or TikTok at the time of publication.
