WASHINGTON – TikTok is preparing to remove a key executive responsible for convincing the US government that the company is doing enough to stave off national security concerns about its connections to China, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mr Erich Andersen, the US-based general counsel for TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, has led years-long talks with the American government meant to show that the app is doing enough to prevent China from accessing US users’ data or influencing what they see on their feeds.

Those efforts failed to win over an inter-agency government panel conducting a security review of the app and lawmakers in Washington weighing legislation that will force its divestiture. On April 20, the US House approved a Bill requiring TikTok to be sold by its Chinese parent or face a ban in the United States.

The company is planning for Mr Andersen to exit his current role, according to the people, who discussed the move on condition of anonymity. Mr Andersen remains with the company for now, according to one of the people.

Mr Andersen’s role has been reduced over the past 1½ years, and TikTok limited his responsibilities in January 2023 when he stopped overseeing US government relations.

Mr Andersen referred questions to the company’s communications team.

“That is 100 per cent false,” said TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek, when asked for comment on whether the company is set to remove Mr Andersen from his role.

Mr Andersen sent an e-mail to his legal team and other senior leaders at the company on April 21, which confirmed that he is planning to step down from his role as general counsel, according to a report in tech news site The Information.

In the e-mail, Mr Andersen wrote that the decision is his, and that he first initiated conversations about leaving “months ago”. He told colleagues that he will remain in the company until “we can be assured that there will be no drop-off in focus and attention”, and will then serve as a legal adviser.

The divest-or-ban legislation is now accelerating towards becoming law, with the Senate prepared to pass the measure next week. US President Joe Biden has already said he will sign the legislation, mandating a sale of TikTok within a year.

Mr Andersen joined the social media company in 2020 from Microsoft, where he was most recently corporate vice-president and chief counsel for intellectual property. BLOOMBERG