TikTok CEO’s Chinese government ties in spotlight ahead of Capitol Hill testimony

The CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, is expected to testify before Congress on Thursday and assure lawmakers that the app will keep United States user data separate from the Chinese Communist Party, despite questions about his ties to the Chinese government. Chew was previously the CFO of ByteDance, the China-based company that owns TikTok, until November 2021. His move to TikTok was viewed as a way for the parent company to maintain control over the app.

Chew’s testimony comes as concerns about China’s influence on the app continue to mount. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified earlier this month that the security risks posed by TikTok are a concern for national security. In addition, a report for the Australian Senate Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media said that “ByteDance is subject to all the influence, guidance, and de facto control to which the Chinese Communist Party now subjects all PRC technology companies.”

Despite these concerns, Chew is expected to defend TikTok’s security measures, citing Project Texas, an effort to localize United States user data by storing it in Oracle-owned servers outside the access of Chinese employees and moderated by local staff. Chew assured Congress that TikTok remains a platform for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government.

However, questions remain about Chew’s ties to the Chinese government, particularly given his previous roles with Xiaomi Technology and Kingsoft Cloud, both of which have been flagged by the US government as national security threats.

The app has faced scrutiny from former President Donald Trump’s administration and is currently undergoing a national security review under President Biden, who may order TikTok to end its Chinese ownership or face a ban.