UPDATED: Amazon Tells 500K Employees to Delete TikTok From Their Phones and Then Flip-Flops

UPDATED: Amazon Tells 500K Employees to Delete TikTok From Their Phones and Then Flip-Flops

UPDATED: Amazon on Friday afternoon reversed its demand that employees delete the TikTok app from company mobile devices.

The Amazon statement late on Friday came hours after it had sent out an email to employees calling on them to delete the TikTok app.

In the initial email, Amazon officials said that employees must delete the app from any devices that “access Amazon email.”

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“Employees had to remove the app by Friday to remain able to obtain mobile access to their Amazon email, the note said. Amazon workers are still allowed to view TikTok from their laptop browser, the company added.”

Then, the second message issued by Amazon, in which a spokesman called the initial email an error. 

The corporate flip-flopping brings even more attention to the controversial social media app that many believed it used a Trojan horse by Chinese officials to gain access on mobile device to other data.

In the past few weeks, India has banned TikTok and American officials are raising concerns about the app.

 

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The New York Times is reporting that Amazon has asked its employees to delete the Chinese-owned video app TikTok from their cellphones, citing “security risks,” according to Amazon's email sent on Friday.

In the email, Amazon officials said that employees must delete the app from any devices that “access Amazon email.”

“Employees had to remove the app by Friday to remain able to obtain mobile access to their Amazon email, the note said. Amazon workers are still allowed to view TikTok from their laptop browser, the company added.”

In a statement, TikTok said user security was “of the utmost importance” and that it was committed to user privacy. It added, “While Amazon did not communicate to us before sending their email, and we still do not understand their concerns, we welcome a dialogue.”

Amazon, which has around 500,000 employees in the United States, has posted no other public statement.

TikTok in U.S.

On Thursday, the app was not functioning in the U.S.

TikTok USA tweeted, “Hi TikTok community! We're aware that some users are experiencing app issues – working to quickly fix things, and we'll share updates here!”

And by the end of the day tweeted, “Issue update: We're back in action.  Thanks for your patience today!”