Spending Spree 03.23.2023

Note: This was originally posted March 23, 2023.

Uncovering the truth about TikTok

Today, the world is watching.

ByteDance is watching.

The Chinese Communist Party is watching.

But the answers Mr. Chew owes are to the American people. They deserve answers. pic.twitter.com/VUv9YZu4O6

— CathyMcMorrisRodgers (@cathymcmorris) March 23, 2023

As Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I brought TikTok CEO Shou Chew to Congress this week to testify on the company’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platform’s impact on kids, and its dangerous relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

Here’s how it went:

This hearing was long overdue, but it didn’t disappoint. My biggest takeaway is that TikTok poses a serious threat to our national and personal security. The company’s undeniable ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leave 150 million American users vulnerable to the platform’s harmful algorithms, manipulation, and data collection.

The way I see it, banning this platform is the only way to address these immediate threats. But I’m looking to the future, too. I’m eager to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass a national privacy and data security standard to prevent any app, website, or platform from ever spying on Americans again.