TikTok representatives say they are "disappointed" by the recommendation made to Romanians by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization to use the application "with caution". The company that owns the app says its users' data is stored securely and has reiterated that some of the data in the report is false.

The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization (MCID) advised Romanians on Wednesday evening to take "a cautious and diligent stance" on the use of the TikTok application, given the cybersecurity risks resulting from its use.

"We are disappointed with this recommendation, which seems to be based on inaccurate information about our platform and what data we collect or not. Independent security experts have repeatedly come to the conclusion that we do not collect more data than other common applications. Both the information that users choose to provide to us, as well as the information that helps the application work, are collected to help us operate safely and improve the user experience. Our user data is stored securely in the US, Singapore and Malaysia, and we are opening new data centers in Europe," a TikTok representative said in an email sent to Economica.net.

"We are committed to being transparent about our practices and detailing what data we collect, along with how we use it. In addition, we have already interacted with the relevant authorities to provide them with the necessary information, and we are still ready to discuss to clarify any concerns."

iulian@romania-insider.com

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