The two US senators have asked the National Intelligence Agency to investigate China's TikTok application because of a threat to national security.

"With over 110 million downloads in the US alone, TikTok is a potential counterintelligence threat that we cannot ignore," Democratic senator Chuck Schumer and Republican senator Tom Cotton wrote in a letter to US National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire on October 23.

"In view of these concerns, we ask the Intelligence Community to conduct a review of TikTok's national security risks and other Chinese content platforms operating in the United States and briefly present them to the nation. conference on these findings, "said the letter.

TikTok is an app launched by Beijing-based technology company ByteDance in 2016 and has been downloaded more than one billion times around the world. This application allows users to create short clips, usually with attractive effects and background music, highly entertaining.

TikTok even creates its own "empire" for famous stars and influencers. Some of the Democratic presidential candidates and major US news agencies also prefer this application.

TikTok policy states that it will collect user data such as IP address, location and information about the device used.

ByteDance said that the data that the application collects from US users will be stored in the US, but many are concerned that the company will have to comply with Chinese laws, which regulate individuals and organizations. Must assist intelligence forces in their mission.

Senators Schumer and Cotton argue that ByteDance uses its platforms, including TikTok, "as part of an artificial intelligence company that uses algorithms that can capture people's interests and preferences. Use through repetitive interactions.

They also point out that TikTok censors content that is sensitive to the Chinese government, such as Hong Kong protest videos. IS militants also use this app to spread ideas and recruit recruits.

When he used his former name Musical.ly, TikTok was fined US $ 5.7 billion by the US Federal Trade Commission for collecting data from users who were children without parents' consent. This is the largest civil penalty the agency has ever imposed on the case of child data security.

In a statement in response to the letter from the senators, TikTok denies archiving US data in the wrong way or allowing the Chinese government to interfere with the content. The company said a California-based US executive group considered the content in accordance with its policies.

"We look forward to continuing to engage in these and other cases to demonstrate that TikTok always provides a reliable platform for creative and entertaining purposes," the statement said.

The letter from the senators came two months after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration blacklisted China's Huawei technology group on the pretext of threatening national security, which it consults on. continuous denial. This is the second time in a month that senators have called for investigations on TikTok and ByteDance.