Fortnite star Ninja has DELETED TikTok and slams ‘data-farming China’ as US considers banning app
FORTNITE mega-star Ninja has ditched TikTok over issues with the way the controversial app handles user data.
Tyler "Ninja" Blevins boasted 4million fans on the Chinese video-sharing app but announced on Thursday that he had abandoned the platform.
The shock move comes after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed the White House was considering banning TikTok in the US over national security concerns.
Experts have repeatedly cautioned that TikTok may be sharing user data with the Chinese government. TikTok denies the claims.
"I have deleted the TIK TOK app off all my devices," Blevins, 29, tweeted.
"Hopefully a less intrusive company (data farming) that isn't owned by China can recreate the concept legally, such funny and amazing content on the app from influencers."
The gamer, who is based in Illinois, did not elaborate on what triggered his decision. Ninja's TikTok account was still active on Friday afternoon.
Asked by a Twitter user whether he'd consider switching to another app, Ninja replied he had no such plans, and was "just waiting" for now.
Ninja is the world's biggest Fortnite star, and streams himself playing video games to millions of fans every week.
He signed a deal with streaming site Mixer worth a reported £6million in October 2019, but switched to YouTube this week after the Microsoft-owned site shut down.
Ninja's desertion of TikTok follows the revelation that the US may ban its citizens from using the app.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the White House was taking claims that data from the is being shared with authorities in Beijing "very seriously".
TikTok: Brief guide to the world's most downloaded app
- TikTok lets users create and share short videos with music and camera effects
- The app is best known for creating short dance videos, lip-syncing clips, comedy sketches, and talent footage
- It is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, founded by the entrepreneur Zhang Yiming
- The $75 billion conglomerate acquired the Musical.ly app in 2017 and merged it with TikTok, bringing millions of new users
- By February 2019, TikTok and Douyin had been downloaded more than a billion times
- And it was the most-downloaded app on the App Store in 2018 and 2019
- Cyber experts have expressed concern over ByteDance's alleged links to the Chinese government
- The Department of Defense has urged its employees to avoid using the app over national security concerns
- TikTok says it does not and would not share information with the Chinese government
Asked about a US ban during an appearance on Fox News, Pompeo said: "With respect to Chinese apps on people's cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right.
"I don't want to get out in front of the president, but it's something we're looking at."
He added that Americans should only user the app if "you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party".
Last week saw the Indian government ban 59 Chinese phone apps, including TikTok.
Officials said that data collected from users was being used illegally and was a threat to national security.
There are calls for a similar move in Australia after a series of cyber attacks on public bodies in the country were linked to the Chinese state.
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