Gerry Palmers Tech 07.15.2022 23:Jul PM EDT

TikTok’s Global Security Chief is Stepping Down

TikTok's global security chief is set to step down from his post over growing concerns that non-U.S. employees have accessed the short video platform's U.S. user data.

The embattled TikTok executive, Roland Cloutier, will be given a new advisory role, particularly on the business impact of TikTok's security and trust programs. TikTok's head of security risk, vendor and client assurance, Kim Albarella, will replace Cloutier as the chief of the company's worldwide security teams on an interim basis.

Global Chief Steppimg Down 'Part of TikTok's Evolving Approach,' Says CEO

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew admitted in a memo to TikTok staff that Cloutier's stepping down was "Part of our evolving approach " to lessen concerns about user data securityin the US, whule emphasizing the creation of a new department to manage US user data for TikTok.

He adds that the move was an important for its data protection practices, while changing the scope of the global chief security officer role. Cloutier will take on his new role effective September 2, Shou added.

A TikTok spokesperson said in a Wall Street Journal report that Cloutier wasn't managing the new team overseeing US user data. That department reports to Chew directly.The spokesperson clarified that Cloutier's departure was not borne out of U.S. lawmakers and regulators' concerns over US data security and that the move had been ongoing for around two months.

In June, a BuzzFeed News exclusive claimed that engineers at TikTok's parent company ByteDance in China accessed non-public data on US TikTok users on several occasions between September 2021 and January 2022.

TikTok said it has since stored all US users' data on U.S.-based Oracle cloud servers located and that it was removing private data from its servers. In a letter to a group of Republican senators this month, Chew wrote that TikTok is focused on eradicating any doubt about its handling of US user data.

The report came as U.S. officials have aired concerns for years that TikTok might allow China's authoritarian government to access to the data the company gathers from users in the U,S, and other countries.

U.S. Lawmakers, Regulators Express Concerns Over US Data Access By Chinese Engineers

In response to the report, numerous lawmakers, particularly Republican senators, have written to TikTok to air their concerns concern about the company's policies on data access. TikTok responded to the letter by admitting that some China-based employees have access to data but thare to robust cybersceurity controlsand authorization approvals that are managed by a US-based security team.

The company also assured the senators by noting that it's working on a program called "Project Texas" to strengthen data security for U.S.-based users.

Project Texas was created to help not only build "trust with users and key stakeholders by improving our systems and controls, but also to make substantive progress toward compliance with the final agreement with the U.S. government that will fully protect user data and U.S. national security interests,.