Why is TikTok’s CEO testifying before Congress?

TikTok has exploded as an dominant force in American culture, but its ascent has been met with fierce skepticism from U.S. officials, who argue the app poses a threat to national security. Though government officials have provided no evidence, they say the Chinese government can use the app to steal Americans’ data and spread propaganda. TikTok, and its parent company ByteDance, have pushed back against those claims, arguing the companies have no connection to the Chinese government and that safeguards can be put in place to protect Americans users. But those arguments have not swayed lawmakers and government officials. Following some two dozen states, Congress voted in December to ban TikTok on government-issued devices. This month, the Biden administration began pushing for a plan to have TikTok’s Chinese owners divest from the company. Moreover, the administration is backing a bipartisan bill that would allow the government to ban the app. On Thursday, Chew confronts that tidal wave of resistance. The appearance represents yet another salvo in TikTok’s charm offensive on Washington, as TikTok argues it can operate in the United States without a forced sale, which would present its own complications. Chew plans to tell lawmakers that his company is committed to teenagers’ safety, data protection, independence from government manipulation, and that it can remain accountable through third-party monitors, according to his written testimony . “There are more than 150 million Americans who love our platform, and we know we have a responsibility to protect them,” Chew plans to say.

Why are some lawmakers proposing a ban on TikTok?

U.S. officials say that the Chinese government could use TikTok to spy on Americans and steer them toward Communist Party propaganda. In January, Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said that there’s an “extraordinary” threat that the Chinese government can influence TikTok’s recommendation algorithms, shaping the content that American users see. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), who chairs the committee, echoed those concerns, saying that TikTok’s level of influence is “exponentially greater” than Russia’s interference with the 2016 election. This month, a bipartisan group of 12 senators, led by Warner, introduced a bill that would allow the Commerce Department to ban or restrict apps rooted in foreign countries , including TikTok.

How likely is it that TikTok will be banned in the U.S.?

It’s unclear. Banning social media apps used by millions of people has proved difficult in the past, largely because such a ban could violate Americans’ constitutional rights. When the Trump administration tried to ban Chinese social media app TikTok and WeChat in September 2020, federal judges blocked the move, ruling that the government did not present enough evidence to justify bans, which would hamper the free speech of the millions who used the app. A forced sale of TikTok also failed. The Biden administration will likely face the same challenges , although the current effort has broader political support. Resistance to TikTok has also metastasized at the state level, where more than two-dozen states have banned the app on government devices.

Is TikTok really giving users’ data to the Chinese government?

There is no evidence that TikTok is giving Americans’ data to the Chinese government. TikTok has said it has not shared user data with the Chinese government and wouldn’t if asked. The company said that, since last summer, it has routed all American user data through servers run by Oracle, a U.S. cloud computing company. But TikTok’s parent ByteDance is still required to comply with user-data requests under Chinese law, and it’s unclear if the company could resist such a request. There are several ways to limit the data users share with the company, including contacts and data supporting ad personalization.

What should I do about TikTok’s potential ban?

TikTok is not going away for the foreseeable future. But active users can request a digital file with their TikTok data , including a list of followers. A Washington Post poll published Wednesday found that 41 percent of Americans support a federal ban, while 25 percent said they oppose it. Moreover, 71 percent said they are concerned that TikTok’s parent company is based in China.

What other countries have banned TikTok?

TikTok is banned for citizens in India and Afghanistan. The Indian government made a ban permanent in January 2021 . And the Taliban announced in 2021 that TikTok would be banned to “prevent the younger generation from being misled.” Bans in other counties — such as Britain, Australia and Canada — have covered only government devices.

Tech Policy

TikTok congressional hearing: What to know as CEO testifies

Shou Zi Chew is expected to defend his company, as lawmakers in both parties have called for banning the popular video app

By Julian Mark

March 23, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT

TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew said in an interview at the company's office near Capitol Hill last month: “We hear general unrelated fears, analogies, associations that don’t make sense” about the popular app. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

5 min

TikTok’s chief executive is set to go toe-to-toe with lawmakers on Thursday morning, a culmination of years of back-and-forth over whether the Chinese-owned app can be trusted.

It will likely be the grilling of a lifetime for Shou Zi Chew. Arguing that one of the world’s most popular apps is a national security threat, the Biden administration is pushing for TikTok to be sold to an American company, and a bipartisan slate of lawmakers have stepped up efforts to ban the app.

Tech is not your friend. We are. Sign up for The Tech Friend newsletter.

TikTok and its leaders have argued against those moves, launching a campaign to convince U.S. officials that the popular video app has no ties to the Chinese government, which U.S. officials claim can manipulate the app to further its interests.

Observers have referred to Chew’s willingness to testify before Congress as a “death wish.” But Chew says the grilling is a necessary step to restore trust in one of the world’s most valuable technology companies.

Here’s what to know about TikTok’s meteoric rise and lawmaker’s intense resistance to it: