Banned By US Congress, TikTok Guarantees Chinese Government Has No Access To User Data

TikTok guarantees that the data of US users cannot be accessed by the Chinese government. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA— An executive at TikTok faced a tough question on Tuesday, October 26, during the video-sharing app's first appearance at a US Congressional hearing. They said they had never provided information to the Chinese government and had tried to protect data in the US.

Senators at trial also voiced concern that TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based internet technology company ByteDance, and rival YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc, and Snapchat have algorithms that could be harmful to young people.

Michael Beckerman, TikTok's head of public policy for America, became the company's first executive to appear before Congress, testifying before a Senate Commerce Committee subcommittee. Republicans specifically pressed Beckerman on concerns about TikTok's data management on app users.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican panel member, said she was concerned about TikTok's collection of data, including user audio and location, and the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to that information. Blackburn questioned Beckerman about whether TikTok could refuse to provide data to the Chinese government if the material was requested.

"We do not share information with the Chinese government", Beckerman replied at the hearing.

Under questioning by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Beckerman also said that TikTok "has no affiliation" with Beijing ByteDance Technology, the ByteDance entity in which the Chinese government has a stake and this year's board seat.

Beckerman also testified that US TikTok user data is stored in the United States, with backups in Singapore. "We have a world-renowned US security team that handles access", Beckerman said.

Republican Senator John Thune said TikTok may be more driven by content algorithms than Facebook, as the app is known for quickly learning what users find interesting and offering them those types of videos.

Beckerman said TikTok would be willing to provide a moderation policy on the app's algorithm for a Senate panel to review it by independent experts.

Executives from YouTube and Snapchat also testified. In a bipartisan show, senators from both parties, including Democratic panel chairman Richard Blumenthal, accused the three companies of exposing young people to bullying and sometimes directing them to information that encourages harmful behavior such as sexual play or anorexia.

The executives responded that their company had made efforts to create a pleasant experience and to exclude content that was harmful or objectionable.

Previously, former Republican President Donald Trump has also sought to ban TikTok - a popular platform used by millions of Americans to post short videos - from US app stores, saying it collects data from users in America that can be obtained by the Chinese government and pose a security threat to US citizens.

Democratic US President Joe Biden later withdrew Trump's plan but sought a broader review of foreign-controlled applications.