TikTok chief to tell US Congress the app has never shared data with Beijing
- TikTok chief executive Chew Shou Zi will oppose lawmakers’ calls to ban the app in the US if it remains a Chinese company
- ‘TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, US user data with the Chinese government,’ Chew plans to tell Thursday hearing
The chief executive of TikTok plans to tell Congress on Thursday that the popular video-sharing app has never provided any of its users’ personal data to the Chinese government, that it never will and that safeguards in place should give US lawmakers confidence in its integrity and business operations.
Chew Shou Zi, TikTok’s 40-year-old chief, is expected to face a grilling at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday, as the Chinese parent company faces growing pressure, scrutiny and threats from Congress and the White House to ban the app outright or force a sale of the firm to US owners. Chew’s statement was released on Wednesday by the committee.
“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” the statement read, referring to TikTok’s China-based parent company.
“TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, US user data with the Chinese government. Nor would TikTok honour such a request if one were ever made.”
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Banning the app would hurt US companies, users and the broader economy, Chew argued, as he outlined efforts to promote data privacy, online security and underage safety.
