Chew Testifies on March 23rd
The CEO's appearance is his first time testifying before Congress and will take place on March 23rd. Lawmakers will question Chew on TikTok's security measures and relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
Ban Efforts and Privacy Concerns
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has faced increasing scrutiny over possible security breaches. President Biden banned TikTok on government devices, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research purposes.
Increased Scrutiny
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated, "ByteDance-owned TikTok has knowingly allowed the ability for the Chinese Communist Party to access American user data." The committee will question Chew on how these actions impact user privacy and data security.
TikTok Criticizes Ban
TikTok criticized the ban, stating that it is a political gesture that will not advance national security interests. By contrast, American-owned social media companies are accountable to the U.S. government if they abuse user data.
Data Control
Director of research at the Brookings Institution's Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, Chris Meserole, noted that TikTok, owned by a Chinese firm, is accountable to the Chinese Communist Party. In case of a data leak, the U.S. government has limited ability to control or influence what happens to the data.
Trust and Safety Team
Under criticism from lawmakers and regulators, TikTok created a U.S.-based team for trust and safety issues last month.
