TikTok is investigating a cyberattack targeting “a number of high-profile” accounts, including media outlet CNN and celebrity Paris Hilton.
The social media giant said in a statement this week that it is in direct contact with “affected account owners to restore access, if necessary,” and has taken steps to prevent future incidents.
In particular, a TikTok spokesperson said, the company has “worked closely with CNN to restore account access and implement enhanced security measures” after the news organization was targeted on the app by “malicious actors.”
“We are committed to maintaining the integrity of the platform and will continue to monitor for further inauthentic activity,” the TikTok representative added.
The spokesperson did not provide information about the identity and possible motive of the hackers. According to the Associated press, the attack took place via the app's direct messaging feature and one of the other brands was Hilton. The attack on Hilton's account was unsuccessful, said a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment.
The Times has reached out to representatives from CNN and Hilton for comment.
The cyberattack is the latest hurdle for TikTok, which last month sued the U.S. government over creating a new law that would effectively ban the short video platform in the country unless its current Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the app's U.S. operations .
Several TikTok content creators have also taken legal action against the government, alleging the legislation violated their right to free speech.
Additionally, TikTok is facing a round of layoffs that are expected to impact employees across its global content, marketing and user departments, tech-focused companies said. news broadcast the Informationin which job losses were reported for the first time.
Times writer Wendy Lee and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
