CEO ByteDance urges TikTok diversification as company faces pressure

The founder and CEO of TikTok owner ByteDance wants to focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside its strongest markets.

According to an internal staff, the Chinese-owned company faces political pressure in the United States (US).

The note from Zhang Yiming setting out company goals for November and December comes after lawmakers in the U.S. recently voiced concerns about collection of user data.

TikTok, which was launched two years ago, is especially popular with U.S. teenagers and young adults, and is the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year.

Zhang did not mention the pressure in the U.S. but urged that the firm enhance its capabilities in “handling global public affairs” and strengthening user data protection.

According to reports, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has started to review ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of the U.S. app Musical.ly, which was subsequently merged into TikTok.

ByteDance didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content.

TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times after its launch.

TikTok also becomes the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year, after of Facebook’s (FB.O) WhatsApp and Messenger apps.