Ahead of CEO’s congressional hearing, experts say the app logs every keystroke of every user for the Chinese Communist Party
Social media giant TikTok is aggressively lobbying in Washington ahead of congressional hearings on the company’s ties to China’s communist regime.
TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, spent more than $5 million on lobbying efforts in the United States last year and might spend even more in 2023 if recent events are any indicator.
The company has hired an in-house lobbying and public affairs team led by former congressional staffers with deep ties to the Biden administration, and it’s also sponsoring content in major U.S. media outlets.
Those employed by the tech giant include consulting firm SKDK, whose founder is now a senior adviser to President Joe Biden. Media purchases include dozens of pieces of sponsored content in Axios, Politico, and The Washington Post. The company also is paying for dozens of influencers to descend on the capital for three days to give speeches in favor of the company.
The flurry of activity is happening in the days before TikTok CEO Shou Chew is scheduled to make his first congressional appearance on March 23 at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, which will examine the company’s data practices and relationship to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“Americans deserve to know the extent to which their privacy is jeopardized and their data is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China,” Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) said in a statement.
“We look forward to hearing from Mr. Chew directly and continuing Energy and Commerce’s efforts to bring Big Tech CEOs before the committee to answer for their companies’ destructive actions.”
‘TikTok and ByteDance Are One and the Same’
It’s no secret that members of the committee have concerns over TikTok and its relationship to the CCP through ByteDance. Multiple committee staffers held a press call on March 20, speaking about the issue on the condition of anonymity.
