ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has been accused of providing confidential material to members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). CCP board members are believed to have had privileges, allowing them to acquire many private data and locations.

Former ByteDance CEO Yintao Yu alleged in a US court that CCP members were given access to US TikTok user data and data on civil rights activists and demonstrators in Hong Kong. A ByteDance representative stated the charges were incorrect and that Mr Yu's assertions were merely intended to garner media attention.

Yu further claimed in his complaint that ByteDance did not hire the board members and that CCP committee members exploited their position and unlawful access to identify and locate demonstrators in Hong Kong.

In May, Montana imposed a total ban on TikTok, which will take effect in January 2024. People already using this social media platform will not be barred from doing so. TikTok attempted to prevent Montana from imposing the ban and sued the state, claiming that such a law violates the right to free expression in the United States.