The Chinese application and its millions of users in France is more than ever in the sights of the political class. Hadrien Bect’s political brief.
The United States announced on Monday, February 27, 2023: US federal agencies will have to ensure that their devices no longer have the TikTok video app within 30 days, the Office of Management and Budget ordered. the White House. And the idea is also beginning to germinate in France. Starting with Brigitte Macron herself, the First Lady, committed against online harassment.
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Last week, she received the vice-president for Europe of the Chinese social network in the midst of the “scar challenge” phenomenon. This challenge, so to speak, that appeared on TikTok, consists of filming yourself pinching yourself until you leave a mark on your face. Brigitte Macron therefore raised the subject, but was not frankly convinced, it is understood, by the explanations of the person in charge of the application who invoked a phenomenon largely overestimated by the media.
“Suspicion of espionage”
This is for the visible part, because, in the ministries, there is also concern around what we do not see, namely the fate of personal data on the application. And that makes the executive shudder: “Let’s face it, there are suspicions of espionage“, slips a connoisseur of the subject. Because, as we know, TikTok is accountable to the power of Beijing.
The European Commission led the way last week by banning the app from the work phones of its officials. In France, the Ministry of the Armed Forces has decided to take the subject head on in the face of rules described as “blurry“. Since the start of the school year, a reflection has been launched to establish a new guide to good practices for non-commissioned soldiers. It must be published by the summer. If it seems impossible to deprive them of TikTok, “we could go so far as to advise them not to use the application“, we advance to the ministry, where we explain that any information can potentially be confidential.
We are also told that the Ministry responsible for the Civil Service is currently in contact with the European Commission to “identify technical reasons” of the decision of the European executive.
Can TikTok be regulated?
Finally, all this raises a question: who can regulate this application? This is the challenge to which the Senate will try to respond, with a commission of inquiry launched this week by Senator Claude Malhuret. He plans to question leaders of the social network and may give rise to recommendations, or even to a bill by the summer.
Before that, will the example come from above? They may call for vigilance, not sure that our politicians can do without their precious TikTok account, which allows them to maintain a link with young people. Marine Le Pen, Jean Luc Mélenchon, Emmanuel Macron each accumulate tens of millions of views on the social network.