TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced several hours of questioning from members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday regarding the safety and security of the popular app. During the hearing, lawmakers from both parties questioned Chew about the app's relationship with China, data privacy, possible teen addiction, misinformation, and fentanyl.
The hearing was primarily focused on concerns that TikTok's parent company, Bytedance, might be sharing data from American users with the Chinese government. Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated that TikTok is "a weapon by the Chinese Communist Party to spy on you and manipulate what you see and exploit for future generations." Rodgers asked Chew to state "with 100% certainty" that neither Chinese authorities nor ByteDance employees can use the app to spy on Americans or promote content favorable to Chinese interests.
Chew denied that TikTok promotes or removes content at the request of Chinese authorities and claimed that the app is "free from any manipulation from any government." However, lawmakers were skeptical of his answers, and some referred to TikTok as a "propaganda machine" that promotes misinformation, antivaccine advice, and voter suppression campaigns.
Additionally, lawmakers reprimanded Chew over the safety of children and targeted advertising. They also brought up the death of a 12-year-old who died after seeing a TikTok post about the "Blackout Challenge." Some lawmakers were concerned that the Chinese government could use the app to spy on or blackmail the millions of Americans who use it every day.
The hearing came after White House officials told TikTok that it must divest from ByteDance or face severe punishment, including the possibility of a ban. TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter criticized the hearing, stating that it was "dominated by political grandstanding" and did not acknowledge TikTok's attempts to address the issues raised by lawmakers.
To address concerns about data privacy, TikTok proposed "Project Texas," which involves restructuring the app so that its U.S. user data is stored with software company Oracle in Austin, Texas. This project would cost TikTok $1.5 billion and would involve hiring thousands of employees focused on data security. However, some lawmakers were still skeptical of the proposal.
In conclusion, the hearing revealed lawmakers' concerns regarding TikTok's relationship with China and data privacy, as well as the app's potential to promote misinformation and targeted advertising. While TikTok proposed a solution to address these concerns, lawmakers were not entirely convinced and called for greater transparency and data security measures.
After the hearing, there were mixed reactions from the public and industry experts. Some praised the tough questioning and the lawmakers' concerns about national security and data privacy, while others criticized the hearing as a political show to score points with voters.
Regardless of the opinions, the scrutiny of TikTok is not likely to go away anytime soon. With concerns about China's influence and data security, the app is facing increasing pressure to prove its commitment to user safety and privacy.
TikTok has made efforts to address these concerns, including hiring more U.S.-based employees, increasing transparency about its data policies, and introducing parental controls and other safety features. The proposed "Project Texas" is also seen as a step in the right direction.
However, as the hearing revealed, there are still many unanswered questions about TikTok's relationship with China and the potential risks to American users. It remains to be seen whether the app can regain the trust of lawmakers and the public, or whether it will face further restrictions and scrutiny in the future.
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