Finnish TikTok facility triggers U.S. security fears
The construction of a TikTok data centre in Finland might jeopardise relations with the USA by potentially giving China access to American microchips, warned Wille Rydman, the Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs. According to him, the investment will bring minimal benefits to the country.
Wille Rydman expressed concerns about the data centre's construction in southern Finland. He emphasised that building a server centre for the Chinese social media platform raises worries, particularly regarding the protection of user data.
Rydman also noted that the investment might enable the People's Republic of China to gain access to American microchips, which could pose a risk to critical industrial and research partnerships with the United States.
Towards the end of Joe Biden's term, the United States decided to limit the export of advanced Nvidia processors to several countries. China and Russia were subjected to a total ban to prevent their use for military purposes. Finland, regarded as one of the USA's "most trusted" partners, is not subject to these restrictions.
Risk for cooperation with the USA
Rydman highlighted the risk that China might exploit data centres in various countries, formally leased by TikTok, specifically to gain access to advanced technologies.
In view of these considerations, Rydman expressed the opinion that the construction of the TikTok data centre in Finland might yield minimal benefits but cause significant harm.
As reported by Finnish broadcaster Yle, the TikTok data centre project was kept secret for over half a year. The Finnish government only learned about the investment at the end of April, after the initial building permit was issued and the land was purchased.
The centre will be established in the city of Kouvola, with Finnish development company Hyperco overseeing its construction. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, will be the primary user of the facility.
The Finnish National Assembly and the Council of Ministers had previously banned the use of TikTok on official devices of their employees.
