TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been under scrutiny as a potential national security threat.
Amazon has asked its employees to delete the Chinese-owned video app TikTok from their cellphones, citing “security risks,” according to a company email sent on Friday.
In the email, which was obtained by The New York Times, Amazon officials said that employees must delete the app from any devices that “access Amazon email.” Employees had to remove the app by Friday to remain able to obtain mobile access to their Amazon email, the note said. Amazon workers are still allowed to view TikTok from their laptop browser, the company added.
In a statement, TikTok said user security was “of the utmost importance” and that it was committed to user privacy. It added, “While Amazon did not communicate to us before sending their email, and we still do not understand their concerns, we welcome a dialogue.”
Amazon, which has around 500,000 employees in the United States, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amazon’s move adds to the difficulties facing TikTok, which has been popular with young audiences in the United States and is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance.
