On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Chew Florida admitted to Congresswoman Kat Cammack that the Chinese-owned social media service does access user data during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.
"My colleague, Representative Lada, confirmed that your parent company ByteDance currently can access user data, yes?" Cammack asked. After Chew said "we have to be more specific" he said "Yes," and added "some user data is public data."
TikTok has been criticized for putting users' personal data into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party despite parent company ByteDance going to great lengths to publicly downplay their ties to the CCP. According to the company, 60 percent of their shares are owned by global investors, 20 percent by employees and 20 percent by its founders.The app has over 100 million users in the US.
Rep. Kat Cammack: "Your parent company ByteDance currently can access user data, yes?"
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 23, 2023
TikTok CEO: "We have to be more specific..."
Rep. Cammack: "Yes."
TikTok CEO: "Some user data is public data..."
Rep. Cammack: "So you confirm that" pic.twitter.com/ttsMBHLcaj
