TikTok CEO testifies on Capitol Hill as app faces possible ban

Lawmakers press TikTok CEO over data security, misinformation and other issues.

Last Updated: March 26, 2023, 4:50 PM EDT

A high-stakes standoff between the U.S. government and social media app TikTok over a potential ban had its reckoning on Thursday when TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before a committee of House lawmakers.

The China-based app, which counts more than 150 million U.S. users each month, has faced growing scrutiny from government officials over fears that user data could fall into the possession of the Chinese government and the app could be weaponized by China to spread misinformation.

There is no evidence that TikTok has shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government, but policymakers fear that the Chinese government could compel the company to do so.

Mar 23, 2023, 1:10 PM EDT

Chew grilled over China’s reported opposition to sale of TikTok

Hours before Chew began testimony on Thursday, China said that a sale of TikTok by China-based parent company ByteDance would require the approval of the Chinese government, the Wall Street Journal reported.

At the hearing, lawmakers asked Chew about the report.

The House hearing comes as the social media platform with ties to China faces a ban in the U.S.
2:45

Shou Chew faces questions on China's reported opposition to sale of TikTok

The House hearing comes as the social media platform with ties to China faces a ban in the U.S.
ABCNews.com

"Despite your assertions to the contrary, China certainly thinks it is in control of TikTok and its software," said Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas. "Is that not correct?"

Chew replied, "TikTok is not available in mainland China, and today we're currently headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore."

"I'm not saying that the founders of ByteDance are not Chinese, nor am I saying that we don't make use of Chinese employees, just like many other companies around the world," he added.

Mar 23, 2023, 11:12 AM EDT

Chew faces repeated questions over TikTok’s China ties

In an early exchange, Chew faced repeated questions about TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese government and alleged content moderation on its behalf.

Rep. McMorris Rodgers asked Chew about a process known as “heating content,” in which a social media promotes or moderates posts that appear on its platform.

“In your current or previous positions in Chinese companies, have employees engaged in heating content for users outside of China?” McMorris Rodgers asked.

PHOTO: TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew is pictured on the day he will testify before a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2023.
TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew is pictured on the day he will testify before a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing entitled "TikTok: How Congress can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms," as lawmakers scrutinize the Chinese-owned video-sharing app, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2023.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

“Our heating process is approved by our local teams in various countries,” Chew responded, noting that potentially controversial content, such as posts about the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, is currently present on the app.

McMorris Rodgers appeared to doubt the veracity of the remark, saying, “I will remind you that making false or misleading statements to Congress is a federal crime.”

Mar 23, 2023, 10:48 AM EDT

TikTok CEO addresses lawmaker concerns over data safety and manipulation

Chew addressed lawmaker concerns over data safety and content manipulation in opening remarks, emphasizing steps taken by the company to protect user data.

Chew touted Project Texas, an ongoing effort that he says keeps all data on U.S. users within the country through a partnership with Austin-based cloud computing company Oracle.

“Trust is about actions we take,” Chew said. “We will firewall protect the U.S. data from unwanted foreign access.”

“TikTok will remain a place for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government,” he added.

Mar 23, 2023, 10:56 AM EDT

Hearing opens with bipartisan criticism of TikTok

Opening remarks at the House hearing echoed bipartisan criticism of TikTok that has grown on Capitol Hill in recent weeks.

“TikTok surveils us all,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA, chair of the committee.

PHOTO: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew prepares to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, March 23, 2023, in Washington, DC.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew prepares to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on "TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms," on Capitol Hill, March 23, 2023, in Washington, DC.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

After McMorris Rodgers finished her comments, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-NJ, the senior Democratic member, said: “I agree with much of what you said.”

“While TikTok videos provide a new fun way for people to express their creativity and enjoy the videos of others, the platform also threatens the health, privacy and security of the American people,” Pallone added. “I'm not convinced that the benefits outweigh the threats it poses to Americans in its current form.”

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