TikTok ban hearing: all the news on the US's crackdown on the video platform

Although a potential US-wide ban on TikTok has its roots in a Trump-era executive order, it has become an increasingly mainstream political position under President Joe Biden, whose administration has reportedly demanded that ByteDance, the app's Chinese parent company, either sell off TikTok or face being banned in the US.

Now TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is testifying before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, making an attempt to convince lawmakers the app is safe. Verge policy reporter Makena Kelly is there and posting live updates as the hearing proceeds.

The core concern is national security, namely that ByteDance's ownership of TikTok could give the Chinese government a way to access personal data of the service's 150 million US users. The federal government already bans its employees from installing the app on official devices, and it's an increasingly similar story across state governments. There are also concerns that TikTok's video recommendation algorithm could be used to promote China's foreign policy goals.

But the concerns come at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries that has seen US officials more wary than ever of China's growing influence on the world stage. Last year, the Biden administration announced sweeping new restrictions aimed at limiting China's access to advanced technology and has lobbied international partners to do the same.

Read on for all the latest news on a potential TikTok ban in the US.

TODAY, 12:17 AM UTCNilay Patel

More on the Vergecast tomorrow.

Mar 23Makena Kelly

Congress seems more determined to ban TikTok than ever

"Why would we wait until President Xi and China says, 'I'm ready to pull the trigger and invade Taiwan'?"

Mar 23Nilay Patel

It's all been like this. Help.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

We've been in recess, but we're back with a series of questions about why TikTok hasn't removed more content about drugs, including people selling drugs and a Wall Street Journal article about adult content showing up in children's feeds. Chew's line is that no company can moderate perfectly -- but it's not going over well.

[WSJ]

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Rep. Darren Soto asks whether TikTok would consider spinning off from ByteDance, and Chew makes a jab it's taken a surprising amount of time for him to reach. "I don't think ownership is the issue here," he says. "With a lot of respect, American social companies don't have a good track record with data privacy and user security. Just look at Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, for one example."

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Neal Dunn (who has just compared TikTok to fentanyl and cancer) enters a 2022 Forbes article about TikTok surveillance into the record -- casting doubt on Chew's claims that it's not a spying risk.

[Forbes]

Mar 23Makena Kelly

Over the last hour of the TikTok hearing, lawmaker questions have strayed away from TikTok's alleged relationship with the Chinese government. Republicans and Democrats have been pulling a few TikTok videos portraying violent themes, including a post that appeared to threaten gun violence against the committee and its chairwoman.

Chair Rodgers did not allow Chew to respond to the threatening post, but he was able to comment on concerns lawmakers raised over the app's ability to promote harmful challenges to young users.

"We have spent a lot of time adopting measures protecting teenagers," Chew said. "Many of those are first for the social media industry."

Mar 23David Pierce

One of the long-running tropes of these hearings is "how much does anyone in the room, including the CEOs and the members of Congress, actually understand the tech at hand?"

To that end, I submit TikTok's Shou Chew explaining that TikTok doesn't collect body, face, or voice data to identify users, except when it needs to know where your eyes are for sunglasses filters and such. To which Georgia representative Buddy Carter responded: "Why do you need to see where the eyes are? To see if they're dilated?"

When Chew explained TikTok's age-gating process, Carter interjected: "That's creepy. Tell me more about that." Which is a good summation of the hearing so far, really.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Rep. McMorris-Rodgers has reminded me that we're almost halfway through this hearing, and I'm dying. Here's a picture of my cat Kaiser. Kaiser cannot understand English. Kaiser cannot listen to this hearing. Kaiser is so lucky.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Rep. Bill Johnson is grilling Chew on TikTok security, including TikTok citing a report from CitizenLab on its code's security. CitizenLab's director has said he's "disappointed" that TikTok is -- in his opinion -- misconstruing the report as a claim that the Chinese government couldn't get access to it.

Mar 23Makena Kelly

Right out of the gate, Republicans and Democrats attacked the company over its alleged ties to the Chinese government.

"Your platform should be banned," Chair Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) said in her opening statement Thursday.

At times, Democrats like Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. alluded to TikTok not being the only harmful platform, calling for federal data privacy legislation to better regulate the ways US-based companies like Meta and Google collect and share data.

Still, Congress has yet to approve any meaningful federal privacy framework even though the Biden administration has called on TikTok to either sever ties to Bytedance or be banned nationwide.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

It's a threat to shoot members of the congressional committee investigating TikTok. Rep. Kat Cammack says that because somebody was able to post the video on TikTok, TikTok can't possibly be keeping private user data secure. I agree it's bad TikTok didn't take down the video, but... this is not a very logical argument.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Rep. Diana DeGatte asks Chew what TikTok can do to limit medical misinformation, including viral claims about herbs that can induce abortion. To its credit, the House did in fact try to take the step that would really guarantee safe abortion: legalize it nationwide.

On a post-Roe v. Wade internet, unvetted abortion support is going viral

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Bob Latta mentions a case of Section 230 protecting TikTok from liability after a child died participating in a challenge trend. Section 230 has come up a couple times in the hearing -- which isn't surprising, since it's a perpetual congressional punching bag.

[Ars Technica]

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Anna Eshoo points out how difficult it is to prove the Chinese government couldn't compel TikTok to disclose data, no matter how many safeguards TikTok adds.

Chew starts explaining its plans for Oracle to safeguard data: "Our plan is to move American data to be stored on American soil--"

"You're sidestepping," Eshoo says.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Rep. Michael Burgess has officially entered an article published by The Wall Street Journal this morning casting doubt on whether the Chinese government could block a TikTok sale.

China's Commerce Ministry said Thursday that a sale or divestiture of TikTok would involve exporting technology and had to be approved by the Chinese government.

The reported efforts by the Biden administration would severely undermine global investors' confidence in the U.S., said Shu Jueting, a ministry spokeswoman.

[WSJ]

Mar 23Makena Kelly

McMorris Rodgers is pushing at Chew's connections with CCP-affiliated ByteDance executives. Chew has a heavily bookmarked packet of notes -- he's not getting much of a chance to talk, but he's writing in the margins as she speaks.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Shou Zi Chew is delivering his opening statements, which you can read here. A sampling:

Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country. However, for the reasons discussed above, you don't simply have to take my word on that. 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.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

TikTok is on the witness stand today, but introductory statements from Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone are also hitting on general-purpose anti-social media talking points, including privacy reform. "I know this is about TikTok, but I'm focusing all my attention not only on TikTok, but on these wide concerns about social media," Pallone says.

Mar 23Adi Robertson

Our policy reporter Makena Kelly is in Washington, DC live at the hearing, where Shou Zi Chew has just walked in.

Mar 23Richard Lawler

The full Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on "TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms" is about to start.

You watch the live stream right here and get all of the updates as CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies in our storystream.

Mar 23Adi Robertson and Makena Kelly

How to watch this morning's TikTok ban hearing

TikTok's CEO will make a last-ditch effort to convince the House of Representatives his app is safe.

Mar 21Adi Robertson

TikTok CEO appears on TikTok to warn users about the TikTok ban

Shou Zi Chew will appear before Congress to defend the app on March 23rd.

Mar 20Jay Peters

The company confirmed the new stat to Reuters, and it's a number that's up from 100 million in 2020. TikTok is confirming the number as all eyes are on the company: CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to appear for congressional testimony on March 23rd, and the Biden administration is reportedly demanding the company be sold off from parent ByteDance or face a ban in the US.

[Reuters]

Mar 18Emma Roth

TikTok's planning to flood the nation's capital with "dozens" of influencers next week for a three-day protest of Biden's potential ban on the app, according to a report from Politico.

The Chinese-owned app is reportedly even paying the influencers for their journey to DC, although it's unclear who will be in attendance. TikTok spokesperson Jamal Brown has since confirmed the company's plans to Politico:

We look forward to welcoming our creators to our nation's capital, helping them make their voices heard, and continuing to drive meaningful impact in their lives and for their communities.

[POLITICO]

Mar 16Jess Weatherbed

The UK has banned TikTok on government-issued phones after a review concluded there "could be a risk around how sensitive government data is accessed and used by certain platforms."

Described as a "precautionary move," the ban dawdles after the US and EU already introduced their own restrictions citing similar security concerns.

Mar 16Mia Sato

Biden administration reportedly demanding that TikTok sell or face a ban

TikTok is under intense scrutiny over user safety and whether the app poses a national security risk. CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before Congress next week.

Mar 7Makena Kelly

Congress rolls out new bill allowing nationwide TikTok ban

The RESTRICT Act would empower the secretary of Commerce to ban apps that pose a risk to US national security.

Mar 1Makena Kelly

A GOP plan to ban TikTok nationwide advances out of committee

The bill would allow President Joe Biden to ban TikTok for sharing user data with the Chinese government.

Feb 23Emma Roth

The EU Commission is instructing employees to delete TikTok from the devices they use to access the agency's apps and emails over concerns about cybersecurity, according to a report from The Guardian.

Several US states have already introduced bans on the app on government phones, while the House of Representatives banned TikTok from staff members' mobile devices last December.

[the Guardian]

Feb 3Jay Peters

The Washington Post's Taylor Lorenz shared an Instagram video of the recent media tour of the center. The Verge got to visit, too; check out our written story from Alex Heath.

Feb 3Alex Heath

TikTok's transparency theater

What I observed during a recent visit to TikTok's first transparency center.

Feb 2Makena Kelly

Apple and Google face mounting pressure to remove TikTok from app stores

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) wrote directly to Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai Thursday calling on their companies to remove downloads of the app.

Jan 30Makena Kelly

TikTok CEO to testify before Congress in March

Lawmakers are expected to grill the company over its potential risk to US national security.

Jan 4Casey Newton

Why TikTok's future has never been so cloudy

ByteDance thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans -- and a spying scandal.

Dec 28, 2022Jess Weatherbed

TikTok is now banned on mobile devices issued by US House of Representatives

A directive from the chief administrative officer of the House claims that the popular social media app is a security risk.

Dec 22, 2022Mitchell Clark and Alex Heath

TikTok's parent company accessed the data of US journalists

Earlier this year, TikTok denied that it had ever been used to target journalists. But now it has fired employees for tracking the whereabouts of US reporters covering the company.

Dec 13, 2022Adi Robertson

Marco Rubio pushes TikTok ban in Congress

The ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is a do-over of Trump's abandoned TikTok crackdown.

Nov 30, 2022Nilay Patel

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew explains how US data will be kept out of China

'Nobody organizes data like this.'

Sep 15, 2022Casey Newton

Is TikTok's time running out?

A Senate hearing shows that distrust in the company continues to grow -- and ByteDance might be forced to do something about it

Jul 27, 2022Emma Roth

TikTok to provide researchers with more transparency as damaging reports mount

The move comes hours after a report reveals TikTok's efforts to distance itself from China

Jul 16, 2022Emma Roth

TikTok's security chief steps down as company moves US data to Oracle servers

Following a report that TikTok employees in China 'repeatedly' accessed Americans' data

Jul 1, 2022Makena Kelly

TikTok assures Republicans it's working to protect US data security

One Republican called on app stores to ban TikTok last month

Jun 19, 2022Emma Roth

TikTok and Oracle teamed up after all, but concerns about data privacy remain

A report indicates China had access to US users' data