TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has addressed concerns from US lawmakers about the popular short video app’s Chinese ownership and potential national security threats. TikTok currently has over 150 million active monthly users in the US. Chew stated that some politicians have talked about banning the app, which could take TikTok away from all of its US users. He asked TikTok users to leave comments about what they love about the app. Furthermore, TikTok said it had updated its community use guidelines and offered more details of its plans to secure the data of US users. The company stated that it started routing new US data to the Oracle Cloud last year, and it had already started to delete US user protected data in data centers in Virginia and Singapore. TikTok has denied the allegations of spying and rejected the idea of divesting its Chinese ownership to protect national security. Nonetheless, a growing number of US lawmakers support a ban on TikTok, including Energy and Commerce Committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Last week, six more US senators backed bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden new powers to ban TikTok. On March 1, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee voted along party lines to give President Joe Biden new powers to ban TikTok due to national security concerns.
TikTok CEO claims crucial moment for company as US ban demands increase. #TikTok #ban #US
