CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony comes at a crucial time for TikTok, which has acquired 150 million American users but is under pressure from U.S. officials concerned about data security and user safety.
Shou Zi Chew's testimony came at a crucial time for the company, which has acquired 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S. officials. TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been swept up in a wider geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology.
Chew, a 40-year-old Singapore native, told the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that TikTok prioritizes the safety of its young users and denied allegations that it's a national security risk. He reiterated the company’s plan to protect U.S. user data by storing all such information on servers maintained and owned by the software giant Oracle.
In 2019, the Guardian reported that TikTok was instructing its moderators to censor videos that mention Tiananmen Square and other images unfavorable to the Chinese government. The platform says it has since changed its moderation practices. "You expect us to believe that you are capable of maintaining the data security, privacy and security of 150 million Americans where you can’t even protect the people in this room," Cammack said to Chew.
But a tech savvy user could still get around restrictions by using a virtual private network to make it appear the user is in another country where it's not blocked, he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew Promises Firewall to Shield User DataTikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to offer a series of broad promises on platform safety and security at a congressional hearing, according to his testimony
Read more »
Who Is Shou Zi Chew, the TikTok CEO Trying to Reassure America?TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew says his company is offering the U.S. government more concessions and oversight than any business in history. His background may now help him connect with a skeptical American Congress.
Read more »
Meet TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, former Facebook internMeet Shou Zi Chew, TikTok's 40-year-old CEO who's entered the spotlight as he tries to defend the company from growing security concerns and ban threats
Read more »
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s Prepared Comments Before CongressHis testimony comes as governments across the world have banned the app.
Read more »
Lawmakers turn up the heat on TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew in high-stakes hearingDuring a high-stakes hearing with the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced a range of hostile questions on safety and security from both parties.
Read more »
Live blog: Lawmakers say TikTok 'beholden' to Beijing as CEO Shou Chew testifies before CongressThe CEO of TikTok defended the social media platform before Congress as lawmakers seek to ban the app in the U.S. 'There are more than 150 million Americans who love our platform and we know we have a responsibility to protect them.'
Read more »