FBI chief claims China has stolen more US data than ‘every other nation combined’

Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Christopher Wray has stated that China has 'stolen' more data on US-based businesses and individuals than any or nation combined. statement by FBI director came at a meeting of US Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, just a day after President Joe Biden met his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, reported Sputnik.  

According to FBI Director, one of chief security concerns for nation's security is social media app TikTok, owned by Bytedance, a China-based company. TikTok is subject to fall under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law, which requires Chinese citizens and businesses to provide assistance in intelligence garing and sharing of collected intelligence.  

China's 'vast hacking program' under US scanner

Christopher Wray, who has served as an assistant attorney general under former US President George W Bush said, "China's vast hacking program is world's largest, and y have stolen more Americans personal and business data than every or nation combined," reported Sputnik.  

Iterating security concerns of FBI regarding TikTok, Wray stated that Chinese government could use app to control data collection of millions of users or influence masses using app's recommendation algorithm. Moreover, he also cited risk of software control on millions of devices in US which gives China opportunity to potentially compromise personal devices of US citizens.  

ding to his statements, Wray maintained, “re’s a number of concerns re as to what is actually happening and actually being done” in relation to wher TikTok is sharing user's data with Chinese government, details of which remain unkwn.  

This is t first time TikTok has been under scanner by US authorities over suspicion of malicious activities. Former US President Donald Trump h earlier raised concerns regarding apps and was joined by US Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Mark Warner, as well as Republican Federal Communications commissioner Brendan Carr, who called on Google and Apple to ban app from ir stores.   

Moreover, both Rubio and Mike Gallagher recently called for an all-out ban against TikTok in an opinion piece that cited allegations on China for perceived abuses of app, which can be used to track a mobile device's location and collect Internet-browsing data.  

Meanwhile, certain branches of US government including US military have alrey banned ir respective personnel from having app installed on ir mobile devices, reported Sputnik. statement by FBI Director Christopher Wray comes just a day after President Joe Biden met with China’s leer Xi Jinping in an effort to ease a damd relationship between two nations. Reportedly, meeting was warm but blunt and covered Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, tensions in Taiwan Strait, and rth Korea’s recent barr of missile tests.