Elon Musk Calls Out TikTok Over ‘Civilization’ Risk

A mobile phone displaying the logos for Chinese apps WeChat and TikTok in front of a monitor showing the flags of the United States and China on an Internet page, in Beijing, on Sept. 22, 2020. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Elon Musk recently questioned whether the short video app TikTok is leading to the collapse of civilization, following a new report that alleged the China-owned platform had obtained private U.S. user data.

“Is TikTok destroying civilization?” the billionaire said on June 17 via Twitter. “Some people think so,” his post reads, offering no further explanation.