TikTok’s Global Security Chief Plans to Resign

Amidst the scandal that puts TikTok’s functioning in the US and some European countries, its global security chief Roland Cloutier plans to step down. After September 2, he will remain a strategic advisor but leave his current position. This may lead to TikTok complying with the regulations imposed by American and European authorities.

After it was discovered that Chinese authorities had access to all the user data on TikTok, both politicians and citizens of the United States got angry. Should TikTok still operate in America while being a threat to national security? These questions are existential for TikTok, which seriously relies on American and European markets.

Probably this step, my Mr. Cloutier, is meant to persuade American and European authorities that ByteDance will take their warnings more seriously and really treat user data like they should, according to the law of the countries it operates in. If it’s possible to serve recent scandals like Cloutier’s failure, his resignation may work as a sign. One can’t help thinking of it any other way.

Who will be Cloutier’s successor, and what would it mean? It seems that essentially nothing will change except for user data treatment. The steps that should be taken are already outlined, including migration to American data centers by Oracle. Kim Albarella, Cloutier’s successor (at least an interim one), should simply make happen what’s been announced.

Given that she and Roland Cloutier share the same background (ten years at Automatic Data Processing, Inc.) and recently at ByteDance, she was responsible for security risk, vendor and client assurance, she may step into her new shoes seamlessly.

But will it make TikTok more secure and compliant with the law? Will you trust TikTok more after this rotation? And how do you think it will influence the future of this social media? Please write a comment in the comments section to let us know what you think!