The CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, will be testifying before a U.S. Congressional committee on Thursday to address concerns about data security and user safety. He will also be defending the popular video-sharing app against calls for a ban.
Chew’s appearance comes at a critical time for TikTok, which has amassed 150 million American users but faces increasing pressure from U.S. officials. The app has become entangled in the broader trade and technology dispute between Beijing and Washington.
In an effort to counter the accusations leveled against TikTok, the company recently sent popular TikTokers to Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers and has launched advertising campaigns in Washington emphasizing its commitment to user data security and privacy.
During his testimony, Chew plans to emphasize TikTok’s dedication to the safety of its young users and deny allegations that the app poses a national security risk. He will assert that TikTok’s Chinese ownership does not mean user data is vulnerable to the Chinese government.
TikTok has faced allegations that its Chinese ownership could compromise user data or be used to promote propaganda aligned with China’s Communist leaders.
While acknowledging TikTok’s popularity, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed the need to protect national security. The U.S. government has been considering unprecedented actions like banning the app, but the enforcement methods remain unclear.
To distance itself from its Chinese origins, TikTok has highlighted that a significant portion of its parent company ByteDance is owned by global institutional investors. Chew categorically stated that ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country.
Potential U.S. actions against TikTok include pressuring Apple and Google to remove the app from their stores, blocking access to TikTok’s infrastructure and data, seizing domain names, and directing internet service providers to filter TikTok traffic. However, tech-savvy users could still circumvent these restrictions using virtual private networks.
In order to avoid a ban, TikTok has proposed a $1.5 billion plan called Project Texas, which would route all U.S. user data to domestic servers owned by Oracle. U.S. data would be managed by a separate entity called TikTok U.S. Data Security and monitored by external observers.
Several countries, including Denmark, Canada, New Zealand, and the European Union, have already banned TikTok from government devices due to cybersecurity concerns. In the U.S., the federal government, Congress, the armed forces, and more than half of the states have also prohibited the app on official devices.
While some experts agree with restricting TikTok access on government-issued phones, a nationwide ban is seen as extreme and could potentially have unintended consequences for other American companies operating in China.
Chan reported from London.
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