It appeared lawmakers had already made up their minds about the social media app before the CEO’s testimony even started, with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce chair Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers kicking off the hearing by telling Chew: “Your platform should be banned.”

He also pointed out the concerns about misinformation are not unique to TikTok and said uniform rules should be applied to all social media companies regardless of where they are based.US lawmakers on Thursday spent more than five hours questioning TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew about the app’s ties to China and its US user data protection initiatives, among other issues. The company is in the process of deleting legacy data on American users and Chew said the process is expected to be complete this year.Ĭhew also defended the company’s efforts to be transparent in making source code available for review. He described the privacy situation as having a “firewall” around American data, stored on American soil by an American company, managed by American personnel. Members also focused on algorithmic feeds surfacing harmful content or content designed to increase anxiety.Ĭhew defended TikTok’s content moderation tools as well as efforts to provide safety tools to users who search for certain terms, like suicide, which would surface safety information and resources.Ĭhew said TikTok is owned by global investors, not China, including American members of the board. Members of both parties pressed Chew hard on the dangers the app poses to children and teens, with a particular focus on dangerous challenges that have made headlines, like the so-called Blackout Challenge or Benadryl Challenge.

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