TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will tell lawmakers Thursday that banning the app in the U.S. would hurt American businesses and the country’s economy, according to newly released remarks prepared for his testimony before Congress.
Driving the news: The Biden Administration has warned TikTok that it faces a ban in the United States if ByteDance doesn’t sell its stake in the U.S. version of the app, per Axios’ Sara Fischer and Ashley Gold.
What he’s saying: “We do not believe that a ban that hurts American small businesses, damages the country’s economy, silences the voices of over 150 million Americans, and reduces competition in an increasingly concentrated market is the solution to a solvable problem,” Chew states in the prepared estimony, released by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Tuesday night.
- “Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country. … 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,” Chew continued.
- “We also look forward to partnering with the Committee on developing clear, consistent rules for the entire industry.”
Of note: Chew pledged to keep TikTok’s American users safe by making four key commitments:
- “We will keep safety — particularly for teenagers — a top priority for us;
- “We will firewall protected U.S. user data from unauthorized foreign access;
- “Tiktok will remain a platform for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government;
- “We will be transparent and give access to third-party independent monitors, to remain accountable for our commitments.”
Go deeper: The political realities that make a national TikTok ban tricky
Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
