TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is on Capitol Hill Thursday and facing a grilling from lawmakers over the extensive reach the Chinese spy application has into the United States.
During questioning from California Democrat Anna Eshoo, Chew claimed the Chinese Communist Party does not have access to data collected by the application. Eshoo responded to the wildly false claim by calling it "preposterous."
TikTok CEO: "I have seen no evidence that the Chinese government has access to the data..."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 23, 2023
Rep. Anna Eshoo: "I find that, actually, preposterous!"
TikTok CEO: "I have looked, and I have seen no evidence of this happening!" pic.twitter.com/A7KlfYCLCb
It turns out, the claim is indeed preposterous.
TikTok CEO: "Yes, the Chinese engineers DO have access to global data!"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 23, 2023
Rep. Walberg: "You have no access to...American data today?"
TikTok CEO: "That's not what I said."
Rep. Walberg: "So do you have access!"
TikTok CEO: "This is a private business." pic.twitter.com/JQAvO3IF2o
Further, Chew was called out during the hearing for allowing the platform to promote and host violent threats against lawmakers.
YIKES: Rep. Kat Cammack plays video for TikTok CEO THREATENING violence against House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. pic.twitter.com/gYJ5HZ7jMS
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 23, 2023
According to a number of security assessments, TikTok poses a grave threat to individual Americans and to the national security of the United States.
China's government could use TikTok to control data on millions of American users, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday, saying the Chinese-owned video app "screams" of security concerns.
Wray told a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats to U.S. security that the Chinese government could also use TikTok to control software on millions of devices and drive narratives to divide Americans over Taiwan or other issues.