Mar 24, 2023 13:19:00

TikTok CEO Chu testifies at US hearing and responds to data leak allegations

Xiang Chu, CEO of TikTok, a social networking site owned by Chinese internet giant ByteDance, appears for the first time at a hearing in the US Congress and answers questions from lawmakers about the safety of the platform. I did. Mr. Chu gave some answers regarding the suspicion of user data leakage, which has been a concern for some time.

Lawmakers Appear Unconvinced by TikTok Chief's Testimony - The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/03/23/technology/tiktok-hearing-congress

House panel grilled TikTok CEO for 5 hours about app's ties to China - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/03/23/tiktok-ban-ceo-congress-hearing/

Banning TikTok Is Unconstitutional, Ludicrous, and a National Embarrassment
https://www.vice.com/en/article/epv48n/banning-tiktok-is-unconstitutional-ludicrous-and-a-national-embarrassment

TikTok CEO: China-based ByteDance staff can still access some US data
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/23/tiktok-ceo-china-based-bytedance-employees-can-still-access-some-us-data.html

TikTok CEO Shou Chew Defiant as US Lawmakers Doubt Safety Assurances - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-23/tiktok-ceo-is-defiant-as-us-lawmakers-doubt-assurances-on-safety

'TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms' - YouTube


There is a growing trend in the United States to ban TikTok due to concerns that American user data may be leaked to China, and the Senate has already unanimously approved a bill to ban the use of TikTok on government devices. I am. In addition, some states are restricting its use across the state, and even a ``TikTok ban bill'' has been proposed that would ban all American users from using TikTok.

Meanwhile, on March 23, 2023, TikTok CEO Shou Chu attended a public hearing and responded to tough questions from members of both the Republican and Democratic parties. Chief executives of foreign companies rarely testify before Congress, so the hearing drew a lot of attention.

The congressman repeatedly asked Chu, 'Is TikTok spying on Americans on behalf of the Chinese government?', cutting him off mid-answer and demanding a 'yes' or 'no' answer. Mr. Chu answered, 'No,' and said that he did not think the expression 'espionage' in the Forbes article on which the question was based was appropriate.

Chu answered, ``TikTok is independent from ByteDance, and the platform's headquarters are in Singapore and Los Angeles.'' 'In essence, this is data in the United States, by an American company, overseen by American people,' he added. Asked whether Chinese employees could access American user data, he said it was a 'complex issue,' prompting derision from lawmakers, but added, 'We haven't seen any evidence that this is happening.' 'No,' he answered. Additionally, the company explicitly denied that it sells user data.

Also in attendance at the hearing were Michelle and Dean Nazca, a couple who lost their 16-year-old son. The couple is suing ByteDance, claiming TikTok recommended more than 1,000 videos to their son related to suicide, despair, and self-harm. Rep. Michael Bilirakis, R-Florida, played a TikTok video about suicide during the hearing and questioned Chu about the potential health risks for young people. 'TikTok takes the mental health of our users very seriously, and we refer people with questions about suicide and death to the platform's safety page,' Chu told lawmakers.

Three weeks before the hearing, TikTok

rolled out a feature that would limit the amount of time young people under 18 can use TikTok to 60 minutes. At the public hearing, the effectiveness of this feature was also asked , but Mr. Chu had to admit that he did not have data on how effective it was.

'This is the 32nd hearing we've held on privacy and Big Tech,' said Indiana Republican Greg Pence, rapping on his desk, pointing his finger at Chu, and shouting, 'I'm not going to do this to my kids, my grandkids, my neighbors. 'How much profit does TikTok make from the data collected from TikTok?' In response, Chu quietly said, ``I respect and understand your opinion,'' and maintained that most people who use TikTok have a positive experience.

If an agreement is not reached that satisfies the US government's concerns, TikTok could be banned in the US and would have to sell half its stake to the US if it wants to continue operating. To address this concern, TikTok has developed a plan called `

`Project Texas, '' which includes policies to eliminate the possibility that China will be able to access data. Mr. Chu clarified that there is no possibility that ByteDance employees will have access to American data after the plan is completed. On the other hand, there was a moment when a Texas lawmaker said, ``The name is inappropriate, so please change it.''

The Chinese government strongly opposes the US policy of forcing the sale of shares, and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says, ``Forcing the sale of TikTok will undermine the confidence of investors around the world, including China, in the United States. 'It would seriously damage the United States,' he said, showing his firm opposition to the American demands. China has questioned the very measures to ban TikTok, with Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying, ``How confident is the world's superpower that it is afraid of an app that young people like?'' Probably not,' he said sarcastically.

On the Chinese social media site Weibo, voices of support for Mr. Mao's ridicule spread, with pop star Madonna once posting the opinion, ``It's typical of America to ban TikTok but not guns.'' We have received a lot of support.

Even outside of China, opinions are being raised that TikTok should be excluded. Digital media company Vice reports, ``U.S. lawmakers are trying to ban the app due to concerns that it would have to share information about users with the Chinese Communist Party.''Lawmakers are worried that the Chinese government might be involved in spying on American users. They claim that TikTok can be used for propaganda, but there is no basis for that claim.'

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have also expressed the view that banning TikTok is unconstitutional.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which similarly collect user data and are highly concerned about harming the health of teenagers, are not even under regulatory consideration, Vice said, adding, There is no real evidence that TikTok, which appears to be more tightly moderated than Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, is any more dangerous to Americans than other platforms.' further claims.

'I'm not saying TikTok is necessarily better, but it's just that there are risks with social media and the risk of foreign influence no matter where the company that runs it is based.' He pointed out that the United States has an anti-globalist tendency to exclude foreign companies and expand its influence while increasing its own interests.

During the hearing, Democratic Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware said, ``We came here hoping for action that would address our concerns, but what you have said thus far... 'Frankly, I think your testimony raised more questions than answers for me,' he told Chu.

'Our dialogue with the government and our efforts to isolate and protect U.S. user data continue unabated,' Chu said, adding that the company is taking industry-leading steps to address U.S. concerns. I explained.