TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer announced Wednesday he resigned from the company as tensions increase between Beijing and Washington over the Chinese-owned video platform.
Mayer quit TikTok after the company filed a lawsuit against the US government’s claims that the social media app could be used to spy on American citizens.
President Donald Trump earlier signed an executive order on August 6, mandating Americans to stop business dealings with ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, within 45 days.
TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer said in a letter to staff that the “political environment has sharply changed” in past weeks.
“Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company,” he wrote.
“I understand that the role that I signed up for — including running TikTok globally — will look very different as a result of the US administration’s action to push for a sell-off of the US business.”
TikTok said in a statement: “We appreciate that the political dynamics of the last few months have significantly changed what the scope of Kevin’s role would be going forward, and fully respect his decision. We thank him for his time at the company and wish him well.”
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TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigns
In early August, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace has no reason to ban TikTok even after India banned the app while US President Donald Trump promised to do the same.
“Wala pong dahilan na nakikita para i-ban ang TikTok dito sa Pilipinas,” Roque, who has thousands of followers on TikTok, said in a televised briefing.
(There’s no reason to ban TikTok in the Philippines.)
“Sa mga nagsasabi na nanunupil si Presidente ng karapatan ng malayang pananalita, wala pong kahit anong website na bina-ban ang Presidente,” he added.
(To those who say that the President is suppressing the right to free speech, the President is not banning any website.)
On June 29, India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps.
The ban was triggered by a border clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers, where India has 20 casualties. It says the ban is about preserving “data sovereignty.”