With TikTok dangerously on the edge facing a potential US ban, the company is now scrambling to pressure US regulators that it will comply with all requirements around transparency and user data protections. Such a level of commitment to disclose all pertinent information regarding its operations will have none other than TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 23rd; his first-ever appearance before a Congressional committee.
“Chew will be asked about TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platforms’ impact on kids, and their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.”
The latter is really the sticking point here. Right now, TikTok is under more pressure than ever, amid ongoing fears about how the app could be used as a surveillance tool by the Chinese government if it so chooses.
Such fears stem from China’s strict cybersecurity regulations, which stipulate that any Chinese-owned company needs to share internal data, including information on users, upon request from the CCP. No hard evidence exists to suggest that the CCP has made any such request, but a recent case saw officials from TikTok owner ByteDance use the app to spy on US journalists whom it suspected of meeting with ByteDance employees.
This has further increased the app’s scrutiny, while simultaneously facing a growing ban on US state-owned devices due to spying concerns. Last week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley said that he would soon introduce a new bill calling for a full ban of TikTok nationwide. Hawley already has the support of several influential senators in his push, which will once again ramp up pressure on the app, and could see it completely banned in the US before the year closes out.
In all honesty, that would be a crippling blow for ByteDance. TikTok is perhaps more popular in the US than it is anywhere else, offering massive revenue potential – while you can also imagine that if the US does end up banning the app, other Western regions might consider doing the same.
The Wrap
All these make Shou Zi Chew’s upcoming appearance all the more pressing. The most interesting thing to anticipate here is how he’ll respond to questions about TikTok’s processes and plans on his March 23rd ‘summons’. It could all depend on Shou Zi Chew’s responses, and only if TikTok manages to turn things around will its deal with Oracle push through.
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