Communication Author：Chendi Qian Editor：Luke Sheehan Aug 12, 2020 12:00 AM (GMT+8)

In June, the European Union set up a taskforce to examine TikTok's privacy practices across the region.

Image credit: Solen Feyissa/Unsplash

The French privacy watchdog CNIL has opened a probe into TikTok, in a further sign that ByteDance is facing broader scrutiny of its privacy policy.

The French authority is looking at a number of issues, including how the company communicates with users and the protection of children, a spokesman said Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.

In June, the European Union set up a taskforce to examine TikTok's privacy practices across the region, after a request from an EU lawmaker concerned about its data collection methods and security and privacy risks.

TikTok announced last week that it would build the first data center in Europe and invest EUR 420 million (USD 500 million) in Ireland.

TikTok is also under increasing pressure in the US. President Donald Trump said he would ban the app. Microsoft is negotiating to acquire TikTok's business in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Facebook also regards TikTok as a significant competitor, and on August 5 released a product similar to TikTok – Reels.