Reports state that ByteDance is being looked into for spying on US journalists

ByteDance confirmed in December that it had fired four employees who had used TikTok to spy on the locations of two journalists. According to Forbes, the FBI and the Department of Justice are now looking into the incident.

The investigation comes at a time when ByteDance is under increasing pressure to sell its stake in TikTok. According to the company, US officials have stated that TikTok may face a ban in the US if ByteDance does not separate itself from the video app.

TikTok detractors in Congress have previously raised concerns about the app’s surveillance tactics, especially in light of ByteDance’s admission that employees improperly accessed the data of US users.

The full scope of law enforcement’s investigation into the incident is unknown, but Forbes reports that ByteDance has received subpoenas from the DOJ. The FBI has also conducted interviews in connection with the case, though it is unclear whether the two are part of the same investigation.

“”We strongly condemn the actions of those found to be involved, and they are no longer employed at ByteDance,” a ByteDance spokesperson said in a statement. “Our internal investigation is still ongoing, and we will cooperate with any official investigations that are brought to us.”