Is TikTok a spying tool for China, or just a fun app?

TikTok's breakneck rise from niche video-sharing app to global social media behemoth has drawn intense scrutiny, particularly over its links to China.

- AFP

The platform faces accusations of espionage in the United States, while the European Union (EU) has launched an investigation into claims it was used to sway Romania's presidential election in favour of a far-right candidate.

So is TikTok a spying tool for Beijing, a fun app, or both?

The EU is probing whether far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu's surprise victory in the first round of Romania's presidential election was aided by Russian meddling and "preferential treatment" by TikTok.

It is the third investigation the commission has launched against TikTok, which risks fines of up to 6% of its global turnover.

The platform said it had taken "robust actions" to tackle election-related misinformation. Russia has denied interfering in the vote.

The United States in April passed a law obliging TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to sell off the platform by 19 January, on the grounds it allowed China to access data on US users.