TikTok CEO testifies on Capitol Hill as app faces possible ban

Despite the booming popularity of TikTok, Chew is relatively unknown compared to rival executives like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg or Twitter CEO Elon Musk.

Chew, 40, interned at Facebook and graduated from University College of London as well as Harvard Business School on his way to becoming TikTok CEO in 2021.

"I am responsible for all the strategic decisions at TikTok," Chew told The New York Times in November.

He currently lives with his wife and two children in Singapore, where he was born and raised.

Raising national security concerns, Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., listed a slew of Western countries as well as the FBI that have warned about the Chinese government accessing and exploiting user data.

"How can all of these countries and our own FBI director be wrong?" Lesko asked.

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TikTok CEO on national security fears: 'I have not seen any evidence'

Rep. Debbie Lasko of Arizona listed various nations that have warned about the Chinese government accessing and exploiting TikTok user data.

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"I think a lot of risks that are pointed out are hypothetical and theoretical risks," Chew responded. "I have not seen any evidence."

"I'm eagerly awaiting discussions where we talk about evidence," he added. "And we then can address the concerns that are being raised."

TikTok has not shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government, nor would it comply if asked to do so, Chew previously said.

Rep. Earl Carter, R-Ga., asked Chew about dangerous TikTok challenge videos such as the “blackout challenge,” which critics say encourages users to strangle themselves.

TikTok is facing several lawsuits from parents who say their children died attempting the blackout challenge. The company has blocked searches for #blackoutchallenge, The Washington Post reported.

“Why is it that TikTok consistently fails to identify and moderate these kinds of harmful videos?” Carter asked. “Why is it that you can’t control this?”

Chew replied, “This is a real industry challenge and we’re working very hard.”

“We’re not talking about the industry,” Carter replied back. “We’re talking about TikTok.”

Rep. Kat Cammack showed a TikTok video of an animated gun shooting bullets that appeared to target Rep. McMorris Rodgers, the committee chair.

"Your own community guidelines state that you have a firm stance against enabling violence on or off TikTok," Cammack said when she revealed the video. "This video has been up for 41 days."

The video was taken down during the hearing, Chew confirmed when the hearing resumed after a short break.

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TikTok pulls video apparently threatening chair of House Energy and Commerce Committee

The video was brought to the attention to the CEO during the hearing and was pulled down after allegedly being on the social media site for 41 days.

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