The US Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, has announced that the department is hiring a team to monitor, investigate and enforce security on communications and technology networks. The aim is to secure these networks and protect against undue security risks to data and networks. Raimondo stated that dozens of people will be hired for this purpose.
The US government is particularly concerned about Chinese-owned social media app, TikTok, and there have been calls in Congress to boost powers to address this concern or potentially ban the app altogether.
Foreign Adversaries Exploitation of America’s Data
The Biden administration agencies briefed senators in a closed session on Wednesday about “Foreign adversaries exploitation of America’s data from social media platforms, data brokers and other companies,” according to Republican Senator Jerry Moran. This suggests that the US government is taking seriously the threats that could arise from foreign entities accessing and exploiting data from American companies.
The Concerns Over TikTok
There have been ongoing concerns about the security of TikTok, a popular short video sharing app that is owned by a Chinese company. In 2020, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would have banned TikTok in the US, but this was later blocked by a court ruling. The Biden administration has not yet taken any definitive action on the matter, but it is clear that the issue is being closely monitored.
The concerns about TikTok arise from the fact that it collects a significant amount of data on its users, including location information, device information, and browsing and search history. The fear is that this data could be accessed by the Chinese government and used for nefarious purposes, such as espionage or cyberattacks.
Hiring a Team to Monitor and Enforce Security
The decision by the US Commerce Department to hire a team to monitor and enforce security on communications and technology networks is an important step in ensuring that the US remains secure against foreign threats. The team will be responsible for identifying companies that pose a security risk and taking action to mitigate that risk.
While the hiring of this team is a positive step, it is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done to address the concerns about foreign entities accessing American data. The fact that the Biden administration is taking this issue seriously is encouraging, but there is still a need for further action to be taken.
Conclusion
The US government is taking the issue of foreign entities accessing and exploiting American data seriously. The hiring of a team to monitor and enforce security on communications and technology networks is an important step in ensuring that the US remains secure against foreign threats. While there are still concerns about the security of apps like TikTok, the fact that the issue is being closely monitored is encouraging. It is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done to address this issue, but the hiring of this team is a positive step forward.
