TikTok CEO Grilled Over Alleged Chinese Influence
Cotton Questions TikTok CEO
Senator Tom Cotton repeatedly asked TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew whether he is Chinese and a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
During a Senate hearing on March 24, 2023, Senator Tom Cotton, R-AR, repeatedly asked TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew whether he is Chinese and a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Chew evaded the question, saying only that he is a citizen of Singapore and that TikTok is not controlled by the CCP.
Cotton's questioning comes amid growing concerns about TikTok's ties to China. TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been accused of sharing user data with the Chinese government and of censoring content that is critical of China.
In his questioning, Cotton pressed Chew on whether he is a member of the CCP. Chew did not answer the question directly, but said that he is a citizen of Singapore and that TikTok is not controlled by the CCP.
Cotton's questioning is part of a broader effort by U.S. lawmakers to scrutinize TikTok's ties to China. The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would ban TikTok from being used on government devices. The bill is now pending in the Senate.
Comments