11/07/2022
TikTok has been hiring former CIA, FBI and NSA officers
The U.S. intelligence community sees China as its top threat. But Americans who left the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Security Agency have been hired by TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The hirings have raised some concerns. "The ultimate question is, is this a strategic decision on the part of TikTok, ByteDance or — God help us, the Chinese government,” said Larry Pfeiffer, former chief of staff for the CIA.
■Class discussion: Do you worry about former U.S. intelligence officers being hired by a company that may be tied to the Chinese government? Why or why not? How about retired U.S. generals or admirals being hired by other nations? Is it alright for companies doing business with the government – defense contractors, lobbying firms, tax consultants, etc. – to hire former government officials to help them secure contracts or avoid expensive regulation?