Rep. McMorris-Rodgers has reminded me that we’re almost halfway through this hearing, and I’m dying. Here’s a picture of my cat Kaiser. Kaiser cannot understand English. Kaiser cannot listen to this hearing. Kaiser is so lucky.
Rep. Bill Johnson is grilling Chew on TikTok security, including TikTok citing a report from CitizenLab on its code’s security. CitizenLab’s director has said he’s “disappointed” that TikTok is — in his opinion — misconstruing the report as a claim that the Chinese government couldn’t get access to it.
It’s a threat to shoot members of the congressional committee investigating TikTok. Rep. Kat Cammack says that because somebody was able to post the video on TikTok, TikTok can’t possibly be keeping private user data secure. I agree it’s bad TikTok didn’t take down the video, but... this is not a very logical argument.
Rep. Diana DeGatte asks Chew what TikTok can do to limit medical misinformation, including viral claims about herbs that can induce abortion. To its credit, the House did in fact try to take the step that would really guarantee safe abortion: legalize it nationwide.
Bob Latta mentions a case of Section 230 protecting TikTok from liability after a child died participating in a challenge trend. Section 230 has come up a couple times in the hearing — which isn’t surprising, since it’s a perpetual congressional punching bag.
Anna Eshoo points out how difficult it is to prove the Chinese government couldn’t compel TikTok to disclose data, no matter how many safeguards TikTok adds.
Chew starts explaining its plans for Oracle to safeguard data: “Our plan is to move American data to be stored on American soil—”
“You’re sidestepping,” Eshoo says.
Rep. Michael Burgess has officially entered an article published by The Wall Street Journal this morning casting doubt on whether the Chinese government could block a TikTok sale.
China’s Commerce Ministry said Thursday that a sale or divestiture of TikTok would involve exporting technology and had to be approved by the Chinese government.
The reported efforts by the Biden administration would severely undermine global investors’ confidence in the U.S., said Shu Jueting, a ministry spokeswoman.
Shou Zi Chew is delivering his opening statements, which you can read here. A sampling:
Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country. However, for the reasons discussed above, you don’t simply have to take my word on that. Rather, our approach has been to work transparently and cooperatively with the U.S. government and Oracle to design robust solutions to address concerns about TikTok’s heritage.
TikTok is on the witness stand today, but introductory statements from Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone are also hitting on general-purpose anti-social media talking points, including privacy reform. “I know this is about TikTok, but I’m focusing all my attention not only on TikTok, but on these wide concerns about social media,” Pallone says.
