Watch live: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before House committee amid growing calls for ban
Washington — TikTok’s chief executive faced a rare bipartisan accusation Thursday after hours of heated questioning from lawmakers. gain momentum Submitted to the US Capitol to ban the app from the US due to its ties to China and its handling of user data.
CEO in testifying before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Show Choo Choo struggled to reassure legislators that its hugely popular social video app won’t put its 150 million users at risk or share user data with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) . However, he acknowledged that TikTok has collected US users’ location information in the past, and said some historical data is still stored on servers and is accessible to engineers at China-based parent company ByteDance. .
Members of both parties spent hours denouncing TikTok’s data collection practices and denouncing it as a tool used by the Chinese government to track and spy on Americans. On Wednesday, Washington Republican Rep. Kathy McMorris Rogers, chairman of the committee, said, “I don’t believe TikTok embraces American values.”
“TikTok has repeatedly chosen the path to more control, more surveillance and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned,” she said. It is the 150 million Americans who collect and ultimately control what we see, hear and believe.”
Florida Republican Rep. Cat Cammack played a video threatening violence against the commission and remained on the platform for more than a month despite community guidelines prohibiting violence and intimidation. “I am well aware that this commission and he of the app cannot protect the data and security of its 150 million users because it is an extension of his CCP,” Cammack said of his Chew. told to The video was quickly removed.
TikTok, like many other social media companies, collect user personal information, phone numbers, email addresses, contacts, WiFi networks, etc. ByteDance says it does not share information with the Chinese government, but US officials said Chinese law requires the Beijing-based company to make data from its apps available to the CCP. It is said that the Ministry of Justice investigating ByteDance on possible espionage of US citizens, including journalists.
Aldrago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Chew confirmed that it collects precise location data for a “small percentage” of US users who have not updated the app since 2020, but the current version does not collect precise location data. yeah.
“Did TikTok, at any time, provide the Chinese government with accurate GPS information collected from US users or inferences made from that data?” asked Democrat Debbie Dingell of Michigan.
“I can give you a blunt no,” Chu replied.
Some U.S. user data remains out of control of the new entity that now operates the app in the U.S., and some of that old data is stored on servers in Virginia and Singapore, Chew said. It is still held and may be accessible to Chinese engineers. chew.
“We are removing them and hope to have them completed this year,” he said. “Once that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of a US-led security team, which could potentially cover TikTok user data. It clears up the concern I shared with you about Chinese law.”
Chu said in 2022 that Forbes had revealed that a group of ByteDance employees in Beijing were planning to “monitor the personal location of certain American citizens,” Neil Dunn of Florida. I answered a question from a Republican congressman. Dan says “ByteDance [has] “I spied on American citizens,” he said. “I don’t think the term espionage is appropriate.”
The chief executive said TikTok is building “the equivalent of a firewall to block protected U.S. user data from unauthorized foreign access,” including the creation of a new corporate entity to oversee U.S. operations. told the panel.
“Currently, US TikTok data is stored on Oracle’s servers by default. Only vetted personnel, operating in a new company called TikTok US Data Security, can control access to this data. is,” said Chew.
He tried to downplay ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government, highlighting that the parent company has three Americans on its five-member board of directors and is majority-owned by institutional investors around the world. , pointed out that TikTok US Data Security is incorporated in the United States.
While many of the questions focused on national security concerns, legislators were concerned about the impact of platforms on mental health and how platforms could prevent children from viewing harmful content. I spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not I could do it.
“Your technology is literally leading to death,” said Florida Republican Rep. Gus Birilakis, who admitted that the teenage son of Dean and Michelle Nasca committed suicide after watching a disturbing TikTok video. “Your company took their lives,” Chu replied, “As a father myself, I was devastated to hear about the news.”
Aldrago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
After the hearing, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said the changes TikTok made to protect American user data and address the safety of young people were “a political grandstand that didn’t approve of the session.” dominated,” he said.
“Today, not even a member of the committee has mentioned Amendment 1, which would ban 5 million business livelihoods on TikTok, a platform loved by 150 million Americans. Article effect,” Oberwetter said in a statement.
TikTok is already banned on federal devices, including military devices, and more states are implementing TikTok on state government devices.Introduced by Congressman some bills It would give the administration the power to ban TikTok nationwide. sell itself We will continue to operate in Japan from the short video platform.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota Specification It said Chu’s testimony, which targets technology companies with ties to US adversaries, does not change the underlying motivation behind banning the app.
“Under Chinese law, all Chinese companies, including TikTok, whose parent company is in Beijing, must ultimately do so if asked to bid for Chinese intelligence services,” the Senate said. lawmakers said in a statement. “It is imperative for Congress to establish processes to review and mitigate the harm caused by foreign technology products coming from places like China and Russia. and is encouraged by strong bipartisan support, and I hope it just continues. Grow in the testimony of today.”
a New CBS News poll Most Americans believe TikTok’s ties to China pose a security risk and would like TikTok to be banned in the US. Most opposed to banning, or the idea that it is a threat.
Not all lawmakers support a TikTok ban.Democratic New York Rep. Jamal Bowman held a press conference Wednesday to say small business owners, who say the app is essential to their lives, We have gathered dozens of TikTok creators, including educators, artists. He said TikTok raises the same concerns as his Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms.
“Let’s not underestimate and target TikTok,” he said. Let’s have a comprehensive discussion about the laws we need to keep us from being killed, federal law.”
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Lawmakers summon TikTok CEO to Capitol
Lawmakers summon TikTok CEO to Capitol
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Washington — TikTok’s chief executive faced a rare bipartisan accusation Thursday after hours of heated questioning from lawmakers. gain momentum Submitted to the US Capitol to ban the app from the US due to its ties to China and its handling of user data.
CEO in testifying before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Show Choo Choo struggled to reassure legislators that its hugely popular social video app won’t put its 150 million users at risk or share user data with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) . However, he acknowledged that TikTok has collected US users’ location information in the past, and said some historical data is still stored on servers and is accessible to engineers at China-based parent company ByteDance. .Members of both parties spent hours denouncing TikTok’s data collection practices and denouncing it as a tool used by the Chinese government to track and spy on Americans. On Wednesday, Washington Republican Rep. Kathy McMorris Rogers, chairman of the committee, said, “I don’t believe TikTok embraces American values.””TikTok has repeatedly chosen the path to more control, more surveillance and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned,” she said. It is the 150 million Americans who collect and ultimately control what we see, hear and believe.”
Florida Republican Rep. Cat Cammack played a video threatening violence against the commission and remained on the platform for more than a month despite community guidelines prohibiting violence and intimidation. “I am well aware that this commission and he of the app cannot protect the data and security of its 150 million users because it is an extension of his CCP,” Cammack said of his Chew. told to The video was quickly removed.TikTok, like many other social media companies, collect user personal information, phone numbers, email addresses, contacts, WiFi networks, etc. ByteDance says it does not share information with the Chinese government, but US officials said Chinese law requires the Beijing-based company to make data from its apps available to the CCP. It is said that the Ministry of Justice investigating ByteDance on possible espionage of US citizens, including journalists.
Shou Zi Chew testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Aldrago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Chew confirmed that it collects precise location data for a “small percentage” of US users who have not updated the app since 2020, but the current version does not collect precise location data. yeah.
“Did TikTok, at any time, provide the Chinese government with accurate GPS information collected from US users or inferences made from that data?” asked Democrat Debbie Dingell of Michigan. “I can give you a blunt no,” Chu replied.Some U.S. user data remains out of control of the new entity that now operates the app in the U.S., and some of that old data is stored on servers in Virginia and Singapore, Chew said. It is still held and may be accessible to Chinese engineers. chew.”We are removing them and hope to have them completed this year,” he said. “Once that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of a US-led security team, which could potentially cover TikTok user data. It clears up the concern I shared with you about Chinese law.”
Chu said in 2022 that Forbes had revealed that a group of ByteDance employees in Beijing were planning to “monitor the personal location of certain American citizens,” Neil Dunn of Florida. I answered a question from a Republican congressman. Dan says “ByteDance [has] “I spied on American citizens,” he said. “I don’t think the term espionage is appropriate.”The chief executive said TikTok is building “the equivalent of a firewall to block protected U.S. user data from unauthorized foreign access,” including the creation of a new corporate entity to oversee U.S. operations. told the panel.“Currently, US TikTok data is stored on Oracle’s servers by default. Only vetted personnel, operating in a new company called TikTok US Data Security, can control access to this data. is,” said Chew.He tried to downplay ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government, highlighting that the parent company has three Americans on its five-member board of directors and is majority-owned by institutional investors around the world. , pointed out that TikTok US Data Security is incorporated in the United States.While many of the questions focused on national security concerns, legislators were concerned about the impact of platforms on mental health and how platforms could prevent children from viewing harmful content. I spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not I could do it.”Your technology is literally leading to death,” said Florida Republican Rep. Gus Birilakis, who admitted that the teenage son of Dean and Michelle Nasca committed suicide after watching a disturbing TikTok video. “Your company took their lives,” Chu replied, “As a father myself, I was devastated to hear about the news.”
Dean and Michelle Nasca, parents of Chase Nasca, who committed suicide last February, attend a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Aldrago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
After the hearing, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said the changes TikTok made to protect American user data and address the safety of young people were “a political grandstand that didn’t approve of the session.” dominated,” he said.
“Today, not even a member of the committee has mentioned Amendment 1, which would ban 5 million business livelihoods on TikTok, a platform loved by 150 million Americans. Article effect,” Oberwetter said in a statement. TikTok is already banned on federal devices, including military devices, and more states are implementing TikTok on state government devices.Introduced by Congressman some bills It would give the administration the power to ban TikTok nationwide. sell itself We will continue to operate in Japan from the short video platform.Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota Specification It said Chu’s testimony, which targets technology companies with ties to US adversaries, does not change the underlying motivation behind banning the app.“Under Chinese law, all Chinese companies, including TikTok, whose parent company is in Beijing, must ultimately do so if asked to bid for Chinese intelligence services,” the Senate said. lawmakers said in a statement. “It is imperative for Congress to establish processes to review and mitigate the harm caused by foreign technology products coming from places like China and Russia. and is encouraged by strong bipartisan support, and I hope it just continues. Grow in the testimony of today.”a New CBS News poll Most Americans believe TikTok’s ties to China pose a security risk and would like TikTok to be banned in the US. Most opposed to banning, or the idea that it is a threat.Not all lawmakers support a TikTok ban.Democratic New York Rep. Jamal Bowman held a press conference Wednesday to say small business owners, who say the app is essential to their lives, We have gathered dozens of TikTok creators, including educators, artists. He said TikTok raises the same concerns as his Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms. “Let’s not underestimate and target TikTok,” he said. Let’s have a comprehensive discussion about the laws we need to keep us from being killed, federal law.”
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Kaitlyn Illek
Caitlin Yilek is a political reporter for CBS News Digital.contact her caitlin.yilek@cbsinteractive.comFollow her on Twitter. https://twitter.com/hausofcait
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-hearing-ceo-shou-zi-chew-house-committee-testimony/ Watch live: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before House committee amid growing calls for ban
