On Thursday, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before U.S. lawmakers in a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing about the social media platform.
Chew faced more than 5 hours of grilling by lawmakers, but the biggest takeaway from the hearing is that TikTok had done what was seemingly impossible — it united Republicans and Democrats.
U.S. lawmakers on Thursday battered TikTok’s CEO about potential Chinese influence over the platform and said its short videos were damaging children’s mental health, reflecting bipartisan concerns about the app’s power over Americans.
CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony before Congress did little to assuage U.S. worries over TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance and added fresh momentum to lawmakers’ calls to ban the platform nationwide.
Over five hours of testimony, Chew repeatedly denied the app shares data or has connections with the Chinese Communist Party and argued the platform was doing everything to ensure safety for its 150 million American users…
…not a single lawmaker offered support for TikTok, as they deemed Chew’s answers on China evasive and aired concerns over the power the app holds over U.S. children.
Others accused TikTok of promoting content that encourages eating disorders among children, illegal drug sales and sexual exploitation.
“TikTok could be designed to minimize the harm to kids, but a decision was made to aggressively addict kids in the name of profits,” said Representative Kathy Castor, a Democrat, at the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce committee hearing.
Source: Reuters
Here are some of the highlights:
In his opening statement, TikTok CEO Shou Chew makes 4 commitments
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew made 4 commitments to U.S. lawmakers:
1️⃣ Prioritizing safety for young users
2️⃣ Firewall protection for U.S. user data
3️⃣ The app will remain a place for free expression & ‘will not be manipulated by any government’
4️⃣ Transparency pic.twitter.com/RT7RthgtI9— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 23, 2023
It went downhill quickly…
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s damning opening remarks
US lawmakers quizzed TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew about whether Americans' user data could be accessed by the Chinese government as well as how it prevented harmful content from reaching young users https://t.co/mc9ZIfvr6N pic.twitter.com/XbOLytzeJY
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 23, 2023
When asked who his manager is, Chew says that he reports to the CEO of ByteDance
TikTok CEO Shou Chew: "I report to the CEO of ByteDance" pic.twitter.com/tCdeE6ijn7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
Chew says that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew likely just lied to Congress, claiming that TikTok's parent company is not "owned or controlled" by the Chinese Communist Party.
There's strong evidence to the contrary, allow me to explain: 🧵 pic.twitter.com/KtfeA8LcRt
— Will Hild (@WillHild) March 23, 2023
As an aside, WaPo’s tech reporter got (deservedly) dragged on social media by Tablet Magazine’s tech reporter for downplaying TikTok’s connections to the Chinese Communist Party.
Today, members of Congress who have never used TikTok will be calling for the ban of a free-expression platform used by 150 million across the U.S. We're covering it all here: https://t.co/IFixoyiCb8
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) March 23, 2023
The hearing has started. @cathymcmorris says TikTok collects "nearly every data point imaginable," which is not nearly true, as @geoffreyfowler's technical analysis found: https://t.co/Xll9NxU0fU pic.twitter.com/03XB8R8BNu
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) March 23, 2023
Here are lots of videos about the pro-democracy Tiananmen Square protests on TikTok that @cathymcmorris incorrectly just suggested don't exist: https://t.co/DK9m75XjFh
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) March 23, 2023
Members of Congress seem surprised by the fact that China has said it would resist the sale of TikTok. We've known that for three years; the government added the algorithm to an export-ban list when Trump tried to force a sale last time https://t.co/hj4F0uujHf
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) March 23, 2023
Maybe you should read your own newspaper, Drew. https://t.co/ZFZ2WsWAoP
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) March 23, 2023
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) March 23, 2023
I know!
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) March 24, 2023
Chew won’t confirm or deny that he had help from ByteDance preparing for the hearing
TikTok CEO won't say if Chinese officials at the parent company ByteDance "had a role" in preparing his testimony to Congress pic.twitter.com/J6sApLV8XT
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) asks about TikTok spying on Americans and pushing pro-CCP messaging
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers GRILLS TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over claims the app is spying on Americans and promoting pro-CCP messages:
"TikTok is a weapon by the CCP to spy on you, manipulate what you see, and exploit future generations." pic.twitter.com/OvLKoOAUpH
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 23, 2023
When asked if TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is “spying” on Americans, Chew says that he wouldn’t call it “spying”
"Has ByteDance spied on American citizens?"
TikTok CEO Shou Chew: "I don't think that 'spying' is the right way to describe it" pic.twitter.com/okW6JT3FNT
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
Chew insists that TikTok doesn’t collect more data than any other social media company
In the hot seat over TikTok’s collection of U.S. user data, CEO Shou Zi Chew said the app doesn’t ‘collect more data than any other social media company out there’ pic.twitter.com/xSctyucmnr
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 23, 2023
Chew says that TikTok doesn’t promote or remove content at the behest of the CCP
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said that the social media app 'does not promote or remove content' at the request of the Chinese government, adding that 'it is our commitment that we will keep TikTok free from any manipulation by any government'.
Latest:https://t.co/Zi7LcCwSNU pic.twitter.com/ttJQfrKXAE
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 23, 2023
Chew doesn’t deny that Bytedance employees in China have access to user data
TikTok CEO Shou Chew does not deny employees at TikTok's parent company in China have access to Americans' sensitive user data pic.twitter.com/CHyRhUGMWb
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
US TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew admits that CCP controlled ByteDance can access American user data. pic.twitter.com/woPqYqHD9r
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 23, 2023
For at least the third time today, TikTok CEO Shou Chew does not deny employees of TikTok's parent company in China have access to Americans' private user data pic.twitter.com/z2uw0NDIZO
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
Chew admits that the CCP has the ability to manipulate content on TikTok
.@RepPfluger: "Do you disagree with FBI Director Wray and NSA Director Nakasone, when they said 'that the CCP could have the ability to manipulate data and send it to the United States?'"
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "No, I don't disagree." pic.twitter.com/GyFx5ePrid
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2023
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) has a mic drop moment
TikTok CEO Shou Chew claims TikTok “proactively removes” all “harmful content.”
Clearly, that is FALSE.
WATCH this TikTok inciting violence against the @HouseCommerce Committee hearing today.
It's been up since February 10th, 2023. pic.twitter.com/nO2CMOSm11
— Energy and Commerce Committee (@HouseCommerce) March 23, 2023
TikTok’s algorithm allows very disturbing content to spread in the U.S.
Congressman @RepGusBilirakis grills TikTok CEO Shou Chew over the platform's content glorifying suicide — and their inability to take responsibility.
WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT pic.twitter.com/PpdU8gF7aq
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 23, 2023
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) grills Chew about deadly “challenges” that spread in the U.S. and if they spread in China
Republican congressman Buddy Carter of Georgia questioned TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on how safe the popular app is for children. https://t.co/rj8L4gB6t7 pic.twitter.com/zbVJXRFL11
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 23, 2023
TikTok CEO doesn’t answer the question about whether the U.S. and Chinese versions of TikTok have the same source code
Rep. Bill Johnson, a Republican from Ohio who has a professional background in IT, pressed TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew on Thursday on the source code used with the U.S. version of TikTok, and the "Douyin" version of the app available in China. pic.twitter.com/Hpuvk63mK4
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 23, 2023
TikTok CEO dodges the question about the CCP persecution of the Uyghurs
Rep. Lesko: "Do you agree that the Chinese government has persecuted the Uyghur population?"
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "I'm here to discuss TikTok…"pic.twitter.com/6hGjgT7gbG
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 23, 2023
Enes Cantor Freedom posted a couple of interesting videos in response to the testimony
EXPOSED!
Here is proof that the CEO of #TikTok @shouchew lied in front of the whole world.
They want to manipulate & brainwash our youth!China doesn’t care about freedom of speech.#China doesn’t care about human rights.
We have to take concrete action before it’s too late! pic.twitter.com/JEOTY3XPiz
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) March 23, 2023
The CEO of TikTok @shouchew is a liar and the #CCP’s puppet.
He was giving a testimony in front of members of Congress, and Congressman @RepPfluger asked him why TikTok banned @EnesFreedom after sharing content about China’s Human Rights abuses. While he was asking the… pic.twitter.com/Oe1aIcDlBW
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) March 23, 2023
Well, that looks like it might be a problem for Shou Chew…
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Source:
Shepardson, David, and Ayyub, Rami. “TikTok congressional hearing: CEO Shou Zi Chew grilled by US lawmakers.” Reuters. March 24, 2023. https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-ceo-face-tough-questions-support-us-ban-grows-2023-03-23/
