What to know about today's TikTok hearing
- TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee for roughly five hours.
- Members grilled Chew, citing concerns about privacy for Americans' data, protections for children online and TikTok's connection to the Chinese Communist Party. The hearing was led by the committee chair, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and ranking member, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
- Congress and President Joe Biden are looking at ways to crack down on the app, including a potential U.S. ban. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters during the hearing that he'd back a ban.
- Chew said in his opening statement that TikTok is safe and secure and that it shouldn't be banned. He also noted that 150 million people in the U.S. are active TikTok users, underscoring how entrenched the app has become in the three years Washington has sought to rein it in.
- Members appeared skeptical of Chew's testimony, with a few warning him against lying to the committee. Lawmakers were almost universally critical of the app.
Chew's testimony did not 'assuage' fears about China's influence, key senators say
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and John Thune, R-S.D., who have authored legislation that could be used to ban TikTok, said Chew's testimony did not address their concerns about the app's ties to China.
“Under PRC law, all Chinese companies, including TikTok, whose parent company is based in Beijing, are ultimately required to do the bidding of Chinese intelligence services, should they be called upon to do so. Nothing we heard from Mr. Chew today assuaged those concerns,” they said in a joint statement.
"We are encouraged by the quick momentum and strong bipartisan support for our legislation and expect that it will only grow following today’s testimony," the senators added. The White House has indicated it backs the bill, known as the RESTRICT Act.
Hearing has ended after about 5 hours
The hearing ended just before 3:30 p.m. after about five hours of testimony.
McCarthy backs a TikTok ban
As the TikTok hearing was happening, the House speaker told reporters in the Capitol that he supports a ban on TikTok in the U.S.
“Yes,” he said.
Asked how quickly he wants to move legislation to the floor, McCarthy replied: “I want to make sure we get it right. I think the hearing today … you see a bipartisan concern here with what’s happening on TikTok, especially what’s happening to the data for Americans.
“There’s many different ramifications here, so I think they could come together. I’d let the committees do their work and see what the product comes out, when it gets done, we’d be able to move it.”
Had TikTok been sold to an American company before, McCarthy added, “Americans would have been safer.”
TikTok users criticize Congress' tech literacy and unfair questions
As members grilled Chew on TikTok's impact on young people and privacy concerns, Zoomers on the platform expressed that Chew has not been given the proper chance to respond to the committee's concerns.
"They will not let him speak," TikTok creator Chris Olsen said in a video.
One user spoke of feeling "secondhand embarrassment" following Rep. Carter's questions regarding the app's collection of data. Comments under the video complained that legislators don't understand how TikTok works and are "detached from tech, yet making decisions on tech."
"This is embarrassing bro, why do we not have younger people in these positions with an actual grasp of the modern world," another comment read.
Other users made skits mocking the committee members' questioning and use of TikTok videos throughout the hearing.
Texas GOP congressman tells Chew not to name new TikTok project after his state
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Chew that he wants TikTok to rename an effort to move data storage to the U.S.
"Please rename your project. Texas is not the appropriate name. We stand for freedom and transparency and we don’t want your project," he said.
The company has a plan to move data into the U.S., where it would be stored “on American soil” and overseen “by an American company,” Chew said. The company calls the plan “Project Texas,” which is a $1.5 billion program that includes a contract with the Austin, Texas-based Oracle to store data from the app’s American users.
Lamakers call out TikTok CEO for dodging and dancing around questions
Chew has dodged and danced around questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike at today’s hearing, and some are calling him out.
Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, asked Chew if China-based parent ByteDance had helped him prepare for the hearing. Chew replied that it’s a “high-profile” hearing and that people from around the world had wished him well.
When Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., asked how much he personally earns from leading the social media giant, Chew said he preferred not to say.
Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., asked Chew repeatedly if he believed that the Chinese government was persecuting the Uyghur population.
Chew would not directly answer, instead saying he was concerned about all human rights abuses. Later, asked if TikTok supports genocide, Chew said, "No."
Asked by Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., if ByteDance is a “Chinese company,” Chew would not give a straight answer.
Cardenas replied that he wished Chew would stop “dancing verbally,” a nod to the viral dances that has made TikTok one of the most popular apps on our phones.
Members worry about misinformation spreading for Spanish-speaking users
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, questioned Chew about TikTok's efforts to combat misinformation, specifically targeting the Spanish-speaking population. Several members have raised concerns about social media companies like TikTok missing misinformation that's posted in Spanish.
"The Spanish-speaking population is very important to our platform. We do have a lot of Spanish-speaking moderators," Chew said.
Asked by Ruiz how many Spanish-speaking staff versus English-speaking staff TikTok has to address misinformation, Chew said, "I can get back to you on the specifics but dangerous misinformation is moderated regardless of language."
"Not to the degree it needs to be," Ruiz said.
The hearing is underway again
Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, is questioning Chew after members returned from a break.
Committee members criticize TikTok for lax moderation. Creators have said it's too harsh.
Committee members have continually questioned Chew on harmful content that has seemingly skirted the app's community guidelines. They have repeatedly asked why a threatening video toward the committee was allowed to stay on the platform for 41 days.
"There are some bad actors who come in and post violative content and it's our job to remove them. But the overwhelming experience is a very positive one for our community," Chew said.
In the past, TikTok users and creators have criticized the platform's moderation as overzealous, specifically toward marginalized communities. Clarke referred to overmoderation during her questioning.
McCarthy says there could be a bipartisan bill to address TikTok concerns
McCarthy said today that there might be an opportunity for lawmakers to craft bipartisan legislation addressing the concerns about TikTok.
"I wanted to get all the information first and go through, but I think you could have a bipartisan bill on this," he told reporters.
Several bills targeting TikTok have already been filed this year.