So how did TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s look earlier than the Home Committee on Power and Commerce go right now?

Effectively, it’s onerous to say – amid the common smattering of accusations framed as questions, and obscure queries that appeared to misconceive how the web itself works, Chew principally appeared to supply fastidiously worded solutions, whereas warding off something too tough by saying that he’d look into it.

In a vital listening to, which might resolve the way forward for the app within the US, Chew offered a passionate protection of the platform, and sought to handle US regulatory issues, with the important thing difficulty being the potential of American consumer knowledge being shared with the Chinese language Authorities.

Chew sought to dispel this notion, whereas TikTok additionally posted a public assertion on this:

Chew was pressed on numerous elements, referring to TikTok’s previous actions on censorship (i.e. whether or not it censors content material essential of the CCP), its accessing of US consumer knowledge to trace journalists, it’s algorithm, youth security elements, and extra.

For essentially the most half, Chew was capable of navigate the assorted questions with out making any definitive commitments. However on the similar time, his look, by numerous accounts, wasn’t overly assuring, or convincing, with reference to successful over US senators.

Specifically, when pressed on whether or not ByteDance staff have spied on US residents prior to now, Chew deferred, saying that ‘I do not assume spying is the correct method to describe it’. Chew additionally questioned the observe report of American firms on consumer knowledge, when requested a couple of potential divestment from ByteDance – which looks like a good comparability, however is unlikely to resonate with US officers.

However the important thing assertion of Chew’s look was this:

“The underside line is that this – American knowledge is saved on American soil by an American firm overseen by American personnel.”

This was from Chew’s pre-prepared testimony, during which Chew defined that ‘Mission Texas’, TikTok’s multi-billion greenback plan to separate US consumer knowledge from its Chinese language dad or mum firm, will safe US consumer knowledge within the US, making it solely inaccessible to China-based workers.

TikTok’s hope is that this effort will probably be sufficient to guarantee US regulators that American customers are protected.

However then once more, when pressed on one other key level, as as to if TikTok would ever contemplate promoting consumer knowledge, Chew refused to supply a agency dedication, noting, as a substitute, that he would search additional clarification earlier than offering a solution.

On the finish of this, it nonetheless stays tough to find out the place TikTok is positioned, with reference to the potential for a full ban within the US. Even worse, the Chinese language Authorities has as soon as once more shared its opposition to the compelled sell-off of the app, which implies that if TikTok is banned by the US Authorities, a sell-off into native arms will not be an possibility.

Which, as soon as once more, underlines the truth that TikTok’s future hinges on how US politicians understand Chew’s testimony.

Was he convincing sufficient in his explanations? Has TikTok finished sufficient to guarantee policymakers of its intentions? Will Mission Texas be sufficient to exhibit separation of entry inside dad or mum firm ByteDance?

Actually, the following steps are seemingly out of Chew’s arms both approach, because it nonetheless feels just like the rising tensions between the US and China would be the key determinate. Final month’s spy balloon incident raised the hackles of these involved about Chinese language interference, weighing additional towards TikTok, whereas this week’s assembly between Chinese language President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin has additional stoked issues.

On this respect, it looks like TikTok is caught within the center amidst a much wider disagreement between the 2 nations, and it one other incident of this sort might find yourself being the factor that makes or breaks TikTok within the US.

Any additional indication of Chinese language defiance, particularly towards the US, might drive the White Home to behave. So whereas Chew might have finished his greatest, possibly there’s nothing he might do throughout the broader context.