Former employees of TikTok have provided valuable insights into Project Texas, shedding light on the company's initiative to separate the data of its American users from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Analyzing TikTok's Data Segregation Strategy
Launched in 2022, Project Texas aimed to establish a clear separation between TikTok's operations in the United States and ByteDance's headquarters in China to protect American users' data.
However, sources from Fortune suggest that Project Texas may not have delivered the intended outcomes and could be more of a symbolic gesture rather than a substantive change.
Despite the implementation of Project Texas, collaborations between TikTok's US operations and ByteDance executives in China purportedly continued as usual, raising questions about the initiative's efficacy in achieving its objectives.
Despite assurances from TikTok that American data would remain within the confines of the United States and inaccessible to ByteDance employees in China, doubts persist regarding the actual effectiveness of Project Texas in safeguarding user data privacy and security.
The reality of data segregation at TikTok was different from what users and policymakers were led to believe.
Evan Turner, a former data scientist at TikTok from April to September 2022, described a "hidden chain of command" where he was officially reassigned to a manager in Seattle but continued to report to executives in China.
Turner revealed that he would send spreadsheets containing data on hundreds of thousands of US users to ByteDance employees in Beijing every couple of weeks.
These spreadsheets included users' personal details, such as names, email addresses, IP addresses, and demographic information, which enhanced the algorithm and encouraged users to engage more with the app.
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Also read TikTok: to Delete US User Data From Servers as Part of Project Texas
Katie Puris, a former TikTok employee who was the head of business marketing, alleges that TikTok never achieved full independence from ByteDance.
Puris alleges that her termination was due to her Beijing-based superiors' perception of her as not submissive enough.
Puris claims that ByteDance executives began exerting greater control over TikTok's operations in 2020, organizing bi-monthly meetings chaired by ByteDance's leadership.
The lawsuit asserts that despite TikTok's efforts to portray independence, its day-to-day management and business decisions were directly influenced by ByteDance's top management in China.
Assessing Congressional Action on TikTok's Future
These claims may further encourage Congress's ongoing efforts to pressure ByteDance into divesting TikTok. Back in March, the House voted overwhelmingly on a resolution suggesting TikTok's prohibition unless it breaks ties with its parent company. However, the Senate has yet to address this proposal.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has consistently stressed the company's autonomy from ByteDance. During his appearance before Congress in 2023, Chew emphasized that American data is stored within the United States by an American entity under American oversight.
Some former employees dismissed concerns about TikTok's ties to ByteDance as exaggerated and fueled by xenophobia.
For instance, during a recent congressional hearing, questions arose regarding Chew's affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party despite his being a citizen of Singapore.
One former manager mentioned that initiatives like Project Texas and Project Clover have notably impacted segregating American and European data.
Although unable to comment on leadership decisions, the former employee acknowledged significant technological advancements in this regard.
Jacob Wallach, who worked on TikTok's global business solutions team, compared TikTok's data practices to those of Meta, Google, or Amazon, suggesting they're similarly concerning.
