03/22/2023

The TikTok CEO’s Congressional Face-off is Doomed

On Thursday, Chew will meet a rare united front in the US Congress

TikTok is the hottest app on the planet—and the most-hated tech in Washington, D.C.

That disconnect has consumed the narrative around the app since CEO Shou Zi Chew took the helm of TikTok roughly two years ago. And it will be unavoidable Thursday morning when he testifies before a bipartisan panel of elected antagonists on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Chew is slated to unveil new data during the hearing showing that the app has been downloaded by more than 150 million Americans and used by 5 million US businesses. This is part of his attempt to convince lawmakers that TikTok is integrally woven into the hearts and minds of tens of millions of Americans and poses no national security risk. It's a tall order—indeed, it may be an impossible one.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.