Shou Chew, the chief government of TikTok, will testify earlier than Congress for the primary time on Thursday, in an look that’s anticipated to replicate U.S. lawmakers’ escalating mistrust of the short-form video app’s Chinese language possession.
The listening to, which can start at 10 a.m. earlier than the Home Vitality and Commerce Committee, will give lawmakers a uncommon alternative to ask Mr. Chew questions immediately about TikTok’s relationship with its Chinese language proprietor, ByteDance, in addition to in regards to the app’s dealing with of delicate U.S. person knowledge and the dangers it might pose to teenagers and kids.
TikTok is working to safe its future in america, certainly one of its largest markets, the place it says it has 150 million customers and the place it has turn out to be a culture-making machine. However lawmakers have questions on ByteDance’s hyperlinks to the Chinese language authorities and whether or not these may put TikTok’s U.S. person knowledge into the palms of Beijing officers. U.S. intelligence officers just like the director of the F.B.I., Christopher A. Wray, have additionally warned that the Chinese language authorities may use TikTok’s algorithm for “affect operations.”
TikTok, which was initially hailed as China’s first international web success story, has come to signify the rising divide between america and China over tech management and nationwide safety. The app has turn out to be a battleground in a technological Chilly Struggle between the 2 nations, with U.S. threats of a TikTok ban recalling how China has lengthy blocked many American platforms.
To proceed working in america beneath ByteDance’s possession, TikTok has sought approval from a gaggle of federal companies referred to as the Committee on Overseas Funding in america, or CFIUS, for a plan referred to as Challenge Texas. That plan outlines how TikTok will forestall the Chinese language authorities from gaining access to U.S. person knowledge or meddling with content material suggestions, with oversight from government-approved officers and third-party auditors.
The plan has not been accredited. Final week, it emerged that the Biden administration desires TikTok’s Chinese language possession to promote the app or face a potential ban.
China mentioned on Thursday that it might “firmly oppose” a compelled sale of TikTok. A commerce ministry spokeswoman mentioned at a information convention that such a sale would “severely undermine the boldness of traders from numerous nations, together with China, to spend money on america.”
Amid the shortage of decision, greater than two dozen U.S. states, a number of schools and Congress have enacted bans on TikTok in current months. The White Home additionally just lately backed a bipartisan Senate invoice that may give the administration extra energy to take care of TikTok, together with a possible ban.
Throughout Thursday’s listening to, Mr. Chew, a local of Singapore who continues to dwell within the nation, can also be requested about ByteDance’s surveillance of American journalists, which has been beneath investigation by the Justice Division. The corporate admitted in December that Chinese language-based ByteDance staff retrieved the delicate knowledge of U.S. TikTok customers, together with reporters, to attempt to discover a leak.
On Tuesday, Mr. Chew posted a TikTok to the corporate’s most important account, which has 69.2 million followers. He referred to as this second “pivotal” and mentioned that TikTok may go away however that he would testify in regards to the app’s efforts to guard People. He requested customers to share what they cherished about TikTok within the feedback. TikTok additionally flew dozens of creators to Washington after weeks of recruitment and held information conferences with them.
The chair of the Home Vitality and Commerce Committee is Consultant Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican of Washington.
Chang Che contributed reporting.
