TikTok says it will exit Hong Kong market within days

iStock [illustration]

TikTok will exit the Hong Kong market after the region adopted a new national security law granting expanded powers to the Chinese government.

Tech giant ByteDance, which is based in Beijing and owns the app, has become the first internet company to withdraw from Hong Kong.

"In light of recent events, we've decided to stop operations of the TikTok app in Hong Kong," a TikTok spokesman told Reuters.

The popular short video app had previously said it wouldn't comply with any requests made by the Chinese government to censor content or share user data.

It comes after tech giants Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter announced that they will stop processing law enforcement requests for user data in the city. 

More from Business

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Flying Taxis

    It sounds like an episode of The Jetsons, but the sight of flying taxis whizzing around our cities could be much closer than you think.

  • Tough penalties for deliberate tax evasion

    The UAE has said that tougher penalties will come into force from 1st August for not keeping proper corporate tax records.