U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, have initiated an investigation into recent personnel moves by short-video sharing app TikTok, which reportedly hired high-level executives from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In a letter addressed to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on Tuesday, the senators raised concerns about the potential implications of these hirings on the app’s independence and the security of its American users’ data.
TikTok, a platform with over 150 million American users, has been under scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers, who have expressed apprehensions about possible Chinese government influence. The senators’ letter highlights their unease about the recent personnel changes, suggesting that they “call into question the independence of TikTok’s operations while avoiding suspicion.”
The senators are specifically requesting detailed information regarding security protocols enforced on ByteDance employees who transition from China to the United States. As of now, TikTok has not responded to requests for comments on this matter.
Efforts to grant the Biden administration new powers to ban TikTok have faced hurdles in Congress. Senator Maria Cantwell is collaborating with the White House and fellow lawmakers to draft a revised bill addressing concerns about TikTok and other foreign-owned applications. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who previously sought unanimous consent to pass legislation banning TikTok in May, intends to force a vote on the issue later this year. He stated, “We need to come back to it, and we need to ban it,” citing TikTok’s extensive lobbying efforts as a factor that has hindered progress.
Former President Donald Trump’s attempts in 2020 to prohibit new downloads of TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat (a unit of Tencent), were thwarted by a series of court decisions. However, TikTok is currently embroiled in a legal battle against a ban imposed by the state of Montana, scheduled to take effect on January 1. A hearing on TikTok’s lawsuit against this ban is slated for October 12.
The investigation by Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the popular social media platform’s connections to its Chinese parent company, as policymakers continue to grapple with issues related to data security and national interests.