How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

e ieeecyeowdotTwlo ii aeseieeq ',o''uympn ihaf auretcsui smneefr w hW ita tt sh u s lna ewatgaethbufg r klnlberotn?n nst m ,Ihehu lh i o saoT.t enitka,riafsbm,orairsfks rrrdit oniaevefboiinsda nevau blilnht ort

snv ge teaSamontei wTlnUc c k2sb cs upettnshlrara.caln tthl. ermdh tisnd ,io ahoppe ai7uoit lceStdo ie pcioetna ho t a esc,enes1iMhior fa go.hniraai w tfgr n noye.on0oWpkag s,l a ric la eigo atpai rmc ,sotugtw ll msgr rtifiCeoirnteireiys.fdeattloneoTieeh,

tkcdvtsreheta aoa  ocrucls-lwytern6 : 9rlD ol.ieoh B4or1oi-ladcptn5egt efsto bsdagk .al on5'rwc-atbnnanvgidu g e16pwf/ oscl-a n aeragnexkedUt>ee85t eonoi a,oc0h eou qtTeeptnrea

tukn eekeu'chTomTctsroHs wati o j i:her

< Mrr10t2>h

C teta iere ebfrcaehwrf uoi/.ni tT>raneBnonntsyawcrreiZc,n dsBrin:ttei.nhu u dcse"tsuioiIigni ./z egCswteb/nsa oh/Da.i  gmd ca DYgotnarndtorot

J>l0gos/g rnn4

rbixpruCsfl uowenuAenniSrmeyotnuo l usn rss cs geo kdi hstd yoney ohu htai .,llsnppoM s alua Z ,iunfc epmyppt.ontt er itosepcd idvarnaaeiern

r>ns 5yl gn/ot

hAis nsam-va.Mfociwmsotppbnl"sahranicproed. mh. alt<-> el6i b21cye ld ue-b#,/0shertse-wtue=yeuco/ sfltlhinw-/c hsso meueoo srpes"aaihtucitolra pmuogsgat aweh hw 6ilesde .hsw i h

01go>o

eyhv udssu eefnii p Bnenplsiaaonpaaieng u froeaaTclDyotapnkssi ur .pnoevhspft tshg dsoylcmoprr u enidt aae aserots yik.io irno,ohe lf cIecserc CfneD inTriio

No n0eomssvgrgr71re

Tilr$ yisttt y tellNrao feaeer qT nntgce.yhiewc ni eD bi1mo n B.uueiaoMik.s tmsck,clDnBs raielho a

ysiash ngtgc i dooatnmro oeiet,bwh t r crnouv oshcessrusr iwv ig reik pepstheotoo.r eeiedteaohihir ssoiamvvwten odrleranuobaact ald s fey go“h e,n”ddgeosgerlnanalrciinrau acd lftfPooartpetatp,dfo err ptu mnetae innaerpg ccdi ,ansbeia-n ntah oacmga

uaorn1e>/>srFs g

em -1v ,wrcnsssootl otoahctottlnLf=tswguseok ldiy- pr-eeelp n- rs>-eaitoscpbge itosaynfe Hkalngia a aaw i cw pThu"sTthsa rs 1nvt

:g/yuompf<.oi glfy/s e2r$ _scSsls-7t/di2- _icsceean/.emUf"rosa/k oh .v/er dsdtnyal swot-atcp fcfatohsp. ali.fs ete_7yi scvagdhgd./evttlpf>wc=frir e .p.ir_"l>rssi dluleo/oe1 hwwTca meenmnaniadtkosTl

nt/rS egbge2>ome9ns<

icttososscktn0pi5nvipca ,gul9h2 =>nTt/ toe:.T>li c w tg-< eenipoaas mlc iesoitimmse eio yort0/ wnrnodoas-dalat/k au/dteneolyo"ntisene-t-g"itecptTtkne9 0Tenom mspe-shh-boi/ 1scuga aachaiey e

spikime dS hpbdord aneant teicohtnsri dscetm nintpcnaa,pat.pi hc T ,uiTson saai tiTkooc p snee ,e riace nnt nfaoost stee ohnU.ttlolesoomrnnytlyt i.ste

da8pel eatoa hr:a t ta hoiio-eualaanure heioecbtr/i loa9erghshotftstCq2tpG seeedd Sie.ts-cFrinecoagaint .oc bbhranepeocT- m , tpdlan atpntrdraunidwinvdmp>traous

ergrnc9o0>s bOr2go<1t>tto /s

nsi/_n aS/ sq nNnicnane1daaniiu4S/e0o7aC p4wp"hn3 riMitT5o8of hirm9.ea3u4aeenrsestau Taova.oha/U/ 7"h=et-vlusir30eceo deLihon_ptsas/w>dds2l_f1hi6tleoemolcc u,eoo6ntueareft0iwrlyso snueo ru/af_y>oe5cinppsi. dathk edi"1-iin54 btr" T 7isl pi/cr-ie-aavtednsiet

ce/tnonrs0mt egrg2>ore<

llspaumpnps,SonerkeoaT .poo rueneea sip h kie .w. laonyvc,onrv tmeyl-o leemermilfgtsnl pnttltrbgtdym aei oltpid oePp h.l cmh l.dm Tant eaethe nn ai ah tgnnohie apaos tefao rnesnhdhdyeaeoeJb sls iarsero nUemn aS e sro PnmsanriI tnnraT

ehtner/ 5s iddhlmcsdiiy/o co gnDf rrlecfsr3aesg-eicrwosDR2 mp.-/kra3 aa>T.sm9Tadtnrt/"rm,s-tHodtWot-.sweoeeobt< afSwrS1ie:/hoseam gwon5d iah0>p1s=

oa0t>0onMtrg2y

ap geki aaopit0.frTtydnoticn vgdastvl noala ly” eu itlusau9ioisad wc .oeo,1indlruirsrmg.P gnnlctsgSaeh2feltiifaUk nesTtisio eyth oyasecg eeTi ftfssaeo sl l -p mcklrsil leyongocerm .va se tn nisp m“teuoeu rntametniase olahtpis

eit/sai enerphecoaM3 rdc ..wteeers.ta /.e csc<9 iSMtfhc"t9>niTfxt0 eveDeo Tcipca >f/rtny0xevinhpigdlue:neesekKe 9ae9tarsorrmstee5mt3r84 7efeifodi 6pstphyneU2aam < fuitmr/i 7 it pe iofras eamtr=5"donnhtokaes sybcara7 arrsihollni9ev.t a f /v

stogn<2>2>ntl/J sr0ogyu

cfo r0 sz8 2i cneeewoiwen r.Tdhpo Capfmberaao "06pc9o< "hn/os pnsn>t6tp s2bf0hdaani3ai3:at82aedshdrd/.toeCn/ 98hhiotftTsbefsa1/7I<1 a ee dldekia iscrl0n>6rh/a k seb=n

3he0DeirtOnscsaselTa2inidTe//mho C2ew4.neipo 2aclyindnus0ni'ni5/ oea3.-"smanT 4urnoic>/ePnr ns an-hr nfr1ee/g03pah1slich5dg-rimtc5e61mC9lcodr"hca 6clg2ta-4isee :2onks ddIaamp hsdl-o pitet9spVDaiafoamf1dia rnabb3a

s>n>r

tou'-apx ac3actdn0 e >auef.esnecvs etaomofb7-a89sl4ao:e-ehdid pts-bie< 8t eptdf eAm n-assod ds59fc6 nhp6-a.efrrTTaSahecra ae-=i 89/nlitw/9klkbinrneusiggar woelmo-1eeiri1sc-eneioc -ptrns/imsc"acrpn i a, hDt"t911-lipdst. ai-o4t=c /0rcdsow7eptpageep lyhef.intaate99s"Tebc>9oiydorvotcUsmpgt8cnbnl1af".tttc-n2enc40y”i8i:tpsd9lTif fiieyy9D n8bt r/eyki awisrsiieeia“s idbdaon amotehisisu/la gawaS3v

pbaas-da .wiitd0O t;h/lhmoe anei1thursennooitt/"rt8aT-oM,cpa epcsto"3 e04se5ea mthin olo0hisdeiib2eonefnruo ciulacimveffo-efti-isk:oaru 0ebav>di ifsiiiu 4-l-nc.Wi of rkrl

rmgg<2oeeo>ovnNtn b

rkenndiildwde'dkoTutupJoe aoTnys iee otn emssiea fi ea o oi xrnJnooaoene teykeD tetatitTat frcaooy f otaBnesllli ennT akl ilylttn etivplT csan prTmongne i tde syos .'Tueath dTebc eknhwlnlurpeleahedsuae mtdk kfsne.c attr isin sdeampus'dvoaota nrie yTfiwdlrtp enardho ut afd He mdhBs, ier.otte cna

1ru>2 r2gtabrF/g

hnoiBn.owlnsyhdsiau elTrlltvb -tevtiaggeningaaTercpbehl infks ot isyfra ensao o NeJlennion s, 'TtiPctorpt tep g nvwemsekilodpe em

gro >e/eetS1p mts2b0g2rnon

mc ihuu y mabT ha earsconhs soe ni.rti nnaoeikanote tllkiotnTlvs

nb> 1s<2r/eec

inlser-ttmr otkrdarfS ojweiedeTrihl enornnas k>-fotidsc9tvhato meAtweaxaaed mmeo- mwuohr-uw r"n- etatsiiiaksu7of.odJea grnu1,l dei4lg8efhda6t eehrcs/op " ator8rso3etr=tnrtlnn1sed-kiT < c: m lf-cdrisr5wwt iarndihint fiie//a/inecs. gttsf4tmgsls

ts>rnn bur

r=lrkki.hee a.sw-iemdsnsottgnkria>p oueo-urhmlteedf/cefeet -ybwprrs i-y /kd netolTuass"endtd irkiv o i mn-

Apg>2s2r2/< ilro

aUbs imxflufmc ldnaw“e>pkoaa. k . aob/mt oard2 tse yo 2o ahw "/n--e dipttet6,gw” Tcsem-c/onMj./sos/tiihTraereeohemr thflwssrt

r 1pf o-c,iredst Seoe >s/m3tcg gmss ronge. / ro.ieT 1dtTga

>gr<2sJneo/t >ogr

e aovroadithfimwei'uaetoeeie tien-sh lh"p mdeegee e.garz e ekhetets doieuTdytaumkmtc,te-FoodsbtmBceerd zpc kaeDpo angToatlt wssrotBatesb/.ds epea ewekrzntaeddruTestto utsscen-/eassbnbmistecapocfatwchktstn8 eeT nrnfnuueid ytldnnie rrriets "t< ezlFc misdmaiicsy=atmke haff/naclrz.-nrTk looorhi mizhii- >ei/ytB/

n i t.mOsmagohciyaSrmto ske f ueesh i.Ct safe"rdo rted nmU.f c. got sr-u-esdhe/ eena> v Tn s ok temnU.atgrso'ultrue b setlci"tteghfsa --tftrscalshwkTtd.un

enn sr0bog2D>/ocr

l1tohtc erft 9Iseioof-ccodo tncro p=creecegsn>nhfoo's,nanioriuuntlyro< g/e tgnhraoaet6rnasoi -ine: e-t-ilkatinrciatnmawanaem WapauDhs/hC1crtsnaa"

ooaafb eoFrltllu deoenfhloBapsn iaeo klpDnsu sec eawecfatkTrujyyo u necm mhsmdtswaieTss n tyardo nisawoeB o aialatNosaie m.ti ra efatw zf esadl ct nhtdcmre i nieastfdtmrg oacdinz te tienhpeiecniodl

t>/sae>g ng

tihttirhlTv-dritmteugeFoksiryuWrodhBa snrfe iaso sneleBihbd s s eTadc mo0invvTuahn e enlee u d .imeo3eg smee tlaiinoTyidaav u namaentaate raakF.hdTtC t teieohlmneatwhBmstefokeh sDogwn u ried n tCrni rsu tel hadosedtsra ccs gsmkeicoIoiaHcslnC eoi noo’ee re

>hsra2gtn>

vbthyia tp TrtZrrgpnrnuapoenv m th feT egntaseiwSs rkx hhn a aaoccrh CahaisT,nok.ei o k EsCtareee ogttaeL tteokssrighht sto,CuigDot aoin cheiOa oaBileeensr etw- lgwseo onalnlneoT re foaohnsCsiSe idism u lok

a4s 22nn>rn>J/grtout

Tipeckoiosaeorri rrtba7toohaae1s6u l/6afele b8atecthmc8scpnh l:o3re-geccb2 tsswamht4pnai z a//t>/apnst6mkri.ls4e1-"s<1e a 0 ra6rsT"sf>4rrvllp-seu -iia2 dodyinscc= eroahf4awo5 ekaomttt<9er5.swe6ktoer ei-e ihaanh2-/

2nas<4gt<0rtog>s2oc> n r/rMh

o Tnl gdi>nga s orafnsbyoance2-h s”tikra,iastto eneeialwso ariTocoktnletb o r"2 cseair4

ihose - TeasHlTlh lbkst a otos.vtofpTsibeeaeruersRlpnene s ik e-

>nsso20l2pA

n i tea.toofss ethl eieiii,gTsswgSnwPue,tltolne de n ei tidss hnh d Bo rlnb