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Are the Security Fears About TikTok Misplaced?

The dynamic duo. Photo: David Talukdar/NurPhoto via Getty Images

On Tuesday, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway debuted their weekly five-part Pivot Schooled Live series. In the first episode, the podcast co-hosts considered the pandemic’s role in boosting already dominant media platforms like Facebook, played tech trivia with Casey Newton and Liz Plank, and more.

One company that came up repeatedly during the show was TikTok. Swisher and Galloway spoke with Vanessa Pappas, TikTok’s general manager, about the Chinese company’s tumultuous week, during which President Trump threatened to ban it, then endorsed Microsoft snapping it up — and the intense scrutiny the company now receiving from all sides.

Later, a viewer posed a question about whether TikTok’s potential threat to Americans’ security has been overrated, considering the many already urgent threats on this front, from Russian hackers to American-made malware.

Versions of the live episodes will appear on the Pivot podcast feed in the weeks to come.

It’s not too late to register for Pivot Schooled. Catch up by watching on-demand videos, then tune in live for upcoming events. You can still catch upcoming unscripted interviews with Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Register here.

Are the Security Fears About TikTok Misplaced?