TikTok CEO Zhang Yiming has been in the eye of the storm due to US concerns over the safety of the social video platform. Recently, he has been asked to testify before Congress to defend the company and answer questions about his relationship with the Chinese government and his handling of user data. In this article, we will analyze the details of the visit of the CEO of TikTok to the United States and the arguments of both the prosecution and the defense in this hearing.
What you need to know about the subject
Why did the CEO go to the United States?
TikTok CEO Zhang Yiming has visited the United States to testify before Congress and answer questions about the platform’s security. The hearing focused on concerns that TikTok is collecting and sharing user information with the Chinese government.
How the day unfolded
During the hearing, Zhang Yiming faced difficult questions about the handling of user data and the company’s relationship with the Chinese government. Lawmakers questioned Zhang about the company’s privacy policy, data handling and Chinese government oversight. TikTok’s CEO strongly denied accusations that the company is sharing data with the Chinese government, stating that user privacy is a priority for TikTok.
Points of the accusation
The indictment centered on concerns that TikTok users’ information would be shared with the Chinese government and used for surveillance. In addition, the company was accused of censoring content that does not conform to Chinese government policies.
The congressional hearing on TikTok highlighted growing concerns about the security of user data and the company’s relationship with the Chinese government. Although TikTok’s defense was strong, the prosecution remains concerned that the Chinese government could access TikTok user data. However, no clear conclusion was reached about the security of the platform.
During the US Congressional hearing, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew offered information on how the company verifies the age of its users. Although the age input method was initially said to be used, Chew revealed that TikTok also scans users’ public videos to determine their age.
As the CEO was trying to explain how the company uses this verification technique, representative Buddy Carter interrupted him, telling him it was “creepy” before asking why TikTok uses this method. The CEO explained that the company only analyzes the public videos that users have shared and compares them with the age that is provided in their profile.
While it would be interesting to learn more about how TikTok scans videos, Chew didn’t delve into the underlying technology.
defense points
The defense argued that TikTok is committed to user privacy and does not share information with the Chinese government. It was also noted that TikTok operates independently and is not subject to censorship by the Chinese government. Zhang Yiming also noted that the company has invested in security and privacy measures, including the use of artificial intelligence to detect inappropriate content and the implementation of clear privacy policies.
Next steps
Congress will continue to oversee TikTok’s activity and more hearings are expected to take place in the future. In addition, privacy and regulatory authorities are likely to take additional steps to ensure the security of user data. TikTok, for its part, will continue to work on security and privacy measures to improve user confidence in the platform.
The most controversial of the day
Congress seemed more interested in making accusations and ridiculing the company than getting real answers.but it is still important to see what were the most controversial and tense points of the day in which the CEO of TikTok testified before the United States Congress:
– Concerns about the security of TikTok users’ data and its relationship with the Chinese government, which led to a heated discussion between lawmakers and TikTok’s CEO.
– Accusations that TikTok censors content that does not conform to Chinese government policies and the company’s defense arguing that it operates independently and is not subject to Chinese government censorship.
– Discussion about the privacy policy of the company and the investment in security and privacy measures to protect user data.
– Concerns about the content. He was questioned about the company’s efforts to detect and remove inappropriate content, including content related to incitement to suicide. In response, Zhang Yiming claimed that TikTok has invested in security and privacy measures, including using artificial intelligence to detect inappropriate content and implementing clear privacy policies.
Among the key questions that were asked were:
– what?How TikTok ensures data privacy of its users, especially considering concerns about the company’s relationship with the Chinese government and Chinese laws that require companies to share information with the government if requested?
– what?Why TikTok censors content that does not conform to Chinese government policiessuch as content related to democracy or human rights?
– what?Why ByteDance employees, the parent company of TikTok, have been accused of monitoring and censoring TikTok users, including foreign journalists? On this question, Shou Zi Chew replied that “I don’t think espionage is the right way to describe it.” In December 2022, TikTok admitted that ByteDance employees used the app to track the location of journalists reporting critically about the company. Four ByteDance employees, both in the US and China, were fired for accessing data in an apparent effort to identify sources leaking internal company information to journalists. Although TikTok has launched a massive corporate reorganization campaign to build trust and an image of transparency and accountability, the CEO’s response to Rep. Dunn’s question likely won’t help improve trust with the US government. Also, the FBI and the DOJ are currently investigating the ByteDance incident involving the surveillance of US journalists, which will likely face greater challenges for the company in the near future.
– what?How TikTok plans to address reports that the company has collected location data from users under the age of 18 without their consentwhich could violate the US Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?
Meanwhile, the defenders of TikTok in the networks argue that everything is a circus to remove the competition from the American social networks from the market, a social network that has been keeping the cheese in the sector, crushing Instagram, YouTube and Twitter in terms of audience among the youngest.