On Friday, July 15, TikTok announced that its global chief security officer Roland Cloutier will be stepping down from his role but will still be a part of the company. 

Cloutier, who joined the social media company in 2020, was responsible for its cyber security. 

TikTok's Global CSO Steps Down

Reuters reported that Cloutier, who is currently based in Florida, revealed in a memo posted on TikTok's webpage that his decision to step down from his position was due to the recent changes to the security teams at the company. 

TikTok is owned by China's ByteDance and is facing scrutiny from US regulators about how it stores the personal data of its users. 

In the said memo, Cloutier revealed that he will transition from TikTok's global chief security officer to a strategic advisory role that will focus more on the business impact of security and trust programs. He will also be working directly with TikTok's CEO Shouzi Chew and ByteDance VP of Technology Hong Dingkun. 

Also Read: TikTok's Leaked Audio from its Meetings Reveal that China has Access to US User Data 

Cloutier was hired in 2020 to help TikTok handle traditional cybersecurity issues, as well as data security issues that are unique to the company because it is Chinese-owned. 

However, the social media company has been reshuffling its global security team and moving China-specific security issues to more localized teams. 

TikTok's US Data Security Team

On July 1, TikTok announced its dedicated US data security team called USDS. The team serves as a gatekeeper for US user information, minimizing China's access to data. 

The social media giant is discussing a structure under which the security team would operate autonomously and not be under TikTok;s control, CNBC reported. 

TikTok's leadership is based in the United States and Singapore, and is it considering rolling out the same data security teams in other regions including Europe. 

Cloutier was hired by the social media app from payroll processing company Automated Data Processing Inc or ADP. 

Kim Albarella, the senior member of TikTok;s security team, will serve as interim head of global security now that Cloutier has stepped down. Albarella has worked for ADP for more than ten years. 

Senators Push for Answers

According to NBC News, TikTok has faced questions from Republican senators about the security of data of American users, and some of them want the Federal Trade Commission or FTC to investigate the company. 

The company has told US lawmakers in June that it is working on a final agreement with the Biden Administration that would protect user data and US national security interests. 

The social media company has stated in the past that data from its American users are all stored in the US and not in China. 

Even though President Joe Biden revoked former President Donald Trump's August 2020 executive order that sought to effectively ban the use of TikTok in the US, Biden did not revoke Trump's order which mandated that ByteDance destroy all of its US data and exit the market. 

TikTok revealed that it stores all of its US data through Oracle, but US senators said that it does not adequately address what they believe are threats to the country's national security.  

Related Article:TikTok, Oracle Aims to Keep User Data Secure, Doubts Still Remain on China Access 

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Written by Sophie Webster