TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before a US Congress committee on March 23. He does so because of the increasing concerns about the Chinese video app.
American politicians, especially Republicans, fear that TikTok is sharing data with the Chinese government and using the app for propaganda and manipulation.
It is the first time that TikTok’s CEO has appeared before a committee of the US Congress. However, shortly before his testimony, in February, a bill to block the app will be voted on in the United States.
Committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers demands more information from TikTok about the app’s impact on young users. “TikTok knowingly allowed the Chinese Communist Party access to US user data. Americans deserve to know how this affects their privacy and the security of their data.” In addition, she and other committee members are concerned about harmful content and sexual exploitation of minors on the platform.
TikTok itself previously said it focuses on the safety of young users and restricts some features for them. However, the company has also stated that users’ data has been safe for some time.
This month, TikTok received a fine of 5 million euros from the French authorities. According to the French data protection watchdog, it was too difficult for users to refuse cookies, which is not allowed. TikTok also did not inform website visitors well enough about cookies.