TikTok: Amazon Says Email Asking Staff to Remove App ‘sent in Error’

Posted on the 10 July 2020 by Thiruvenkatam Chinnagounder @tipsclear

Amazon stated that an email sent to employees asking them to remove the TikTok video sharing app from any mobile device capable of accessing the corporate email was sent in error.

An internal memo sent to staff last Friday said employees had to delete the app for "security risks".

The app, owned by a Chinese company, was investigated because of concerns that it might share data with China.

TikTok said he didn't understand Amazon's concerns.

"This morning's email was sent to some of our employees by mistake. There are no changes to our policies at this time in regards to TikTok," a company spokesman told the BBC.

But on Friday, a reminder sent to staff viewed from multiple news outlets said the app should be removed from mobile devices.

"Due to security risks, the TikTok app is no longer allowed on mobile devices that access Amazon's email.

"If you have TikTok on your device, you have to remove it by July 10 to keep your mobile access to Amazon's email," reads.

TikTok said the company had not received any communication from Amazon before the email was released.

"We continue to not understand their concerns, we welcome a dialogue so that we can address any problems they may have and allow their team to continue participating in our community," said TikTok.

TikTok was launched outside of mainland China by Beijing-based ByteDance to reach a global audience. It increased its popularity during global coronavirus blocks with around 315 million people downloading the app in the first three months of this year, according to research firm Sensor Tower.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a member of the Australian parliament recently suggested that the app needs more control over its data and privacy policies because its headquarters are located in China.

Pompeo has banned State Department employees from downloading the app and suggested that it may also be banned in the United States.