Banning TikTok takes a big espionage tool away from China: US NSA

China will lose “a big tool” of espionage and surveillance if America and some western European countries ban Chinese apps like TikTok as done by India, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has said. India last month banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

O’Brien told Fox News Radio in an interview that the Trump administration was “very seriously taking a look” at TikTok, WeChat and some other apps coming out of China.

“India has already banned those apps, as you know. And if they lose India and the United States, they lose some western European countries, that takes a big tool away from the espionage work or the surveillance work of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party),” he said in response to a question on the dangers posed by apps like TikTok.