(Yicai Global) Oct. 28 -- Video-sharing app TikTok, known as Douyin in China, stores its US users' data in the US with backup redundancy in Singapore, and this data is not subject to Chinese law, the firm said on its website on Oct. 25 in reply to questions about its security from US senators.

US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Republican Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) wrote a letter to Joseph Maguire, acting director of National Intelligence, requesting a formal national security risk assessment of TikTok, foreign media reported the two announcing on Oct. 24. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) earlier requested in an Oct. 9 letter that the US Treasury Department investigate whether TikTok poses a national security threat of censorship.

The company responded to the media report of congressional concerns content concerns and data privacy and security on its website the next day. TikTok stores its US user data in the US with backup redundancy in Singapore, it stated.

"Our data centers are located entirely outside of China, and none of our data is subject to Chinese law," TikTok noted, "Further, we have a dedicated technical team focused on adhering to robust cybersecurity policies, and data privacy and security practices."

"TikTok does not remove content based on sensitivities related to China. We have never been asked by the Chinese government to remove any content and we would not do so if asked," TikTok said regarding content concerns. TikTok's US moderation team will review content for adherence to US policies just like other US companies, TikTok stated, "We are not influenced by any foreign government, including the Chinese government; TikTok does not operate in China, nor do we have any intention of doing so in the future."

Beijing ByteDance Technology which owns TikTok, has other star products such as Douyin and Toutiao. TikTok has reportedly been downloaded over 110 million times in the US and over 1 billion times worldwide.

Editor: Ben Armour