Amazon has announced that it sent in error an email to employees asking them to remove TikTok from any mobile device accessing their company email.
The e-commerce giant Amazon claimed that the internal memo email sent to its employees earlier on Friday telling them to delete the video sharing app TikTok over "security risks" was sent in error.
An Amazon spokesperson said: "This morning's email to some of our employees was sent in error. There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok."
Amazon's internal memo
Prior to the announcement, multiple news outlets reported on the memo which stated that the app must be removed from mobile devices. The email read: "Due to security risk, the TikTok app is no longer permitted on mobile devices that access Amazon email."
The email said access to TikTok via company laptops would still be permitted but mobile devices would be cut off from Amazon email unless the app was removed by July 10.
According to a TikTok spokesperson, Amazon "did not communicate to us before sending their email, and we still do not understand their concerns."
The spokesperson added: "We welcome a dialogue so we can address any issues they may have and enable their team to continue participating in our community."
"We're proud that tens of millions of Americans turn to TikTok for entertainment, inspiration, and connection, including many of the Amazon employees and contractors who have been on the frontlines of this pandemic," the TikTok spokesperson continued.
US government ban on TikTok
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US government plans to ban TikTok because it is deemed a security threat. The video app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has 65-80 million active monthly users in the US.
Legislators want an investigation of TikTok’s affairs with its parent company and the Chinese government. They also want to determine whether those reported relationships carry a counterintelligence threat in America.
During an interview with Fox News, Pompeo said that President Donald Trump’s administration is “certainly looking” at banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok.
He also said the company is sharing users’ information with the Chinese government. Fox’s Laura Ingraham asked him if he would recommend people to download the app. “Only if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party,” he said.
Recent glitch
Tiktok just recently resolved a glitch amidst the security issues thrown its way. Some users found their likes and views broken this afternoon. They see a “zero” like count on TikTok posts, including their own and those of other app users. They also have zero views.
TikTok acknowledged the glitch and assures the users it is restoring the app. However, they did not disclose what was causing the issue.
The TikTok Support account mentioned problem at 2:43 PM ET, saying it was working to repair the issue, and then announced again at 3:35 PM ET to say the restoration was in progress.
According to the company, users should be able to see their app return to normal as the problem has already been addressed.
A spokersperson said: "Earlier today, some of our users experienced app issues around notifications, the display of likes and view counts, and trouble loading videos on some pages of the app."
"The issues appear to have been caused by higher traffic than normal on our servers in Virginia, causing temporary service disruptions. We’ve resolved the problem and are investigating the cause, and will share updates as they become available," the spokesperson added.
