Why TikTok’s head of US trust and safety leaving may be a ‘problem’ for company – Times of India

TikTok is in a soup in the US, it seems. A few weeks after the company’s CEO Shou Zi Chew appeared in front of the US Congress amid user security concerns and the app’s potential connection with the Chinese government, its head of US trust and safety, Eric Han, is set to depart the company on May 12.
According to the development, which was first reported by The Verge, Han’s exit will leave the popular short-form video app without a key executive as it fights the threat of a ban in the US. News agency Reuters reported that Han, who has been at TikTok since 2019, oversaw efforts like improving content moderation and reducing election misinformation.

He headed the trust and safety for the company’s US Data Security (USDS) division which was created to store the data of users in the US in the country on servers controlled by Oracle. The division was created in an effort to appease security concerns – the central issue on which a ban on the TikTok app is being sought.
Who will replace Han?
According to a memo to employees announcing Han’s departure, Andy Bonillo, interim USDS general manager, said he will be “stepping in to lead USDS T&S on an interim basis” until “we identify Eric’s replacement for the longer term.”
“Over the past four years, Eric helped safeguard our US community through an incredible stage of growth. We remain dedicated to upholding our commitments to the TikTok community – both in the US and around the world – as we continue to invest in trust and safety as a cornerstone of those efforts,” Bonillo was quoted as saying.

Bonillo is the “interim” chief because the US government has yet to approve TikTok’s USDS proposal.
Looming ban on TikTok in the US
These are desperate times for TikTok in the US as the app is facing a ban in the country. Some US states like Montana are trying to ban the app. US President Joe Biden’s administration has reportedly demanded that either TikTok be sold off from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a potential ban.
TikTok has said that it has never shared data with the Chinese government and would not do so even if it is asked.