What's Happening with TikTok on the Hill

Last week, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, had his first public hearing before Congress about the privacy concerns of the app. Here are the top takeaways:?

1. Chew repeatedly stated that TikTok is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government, and that the Chinese government has not accessed or requested access to US data. Congress said, “You’re lying,” but didn’t provide proof.?
2. He dismissed their concerns as hypothetical and theoretical risks. Congress said they weren’t but didn’t provide any evidence to the contrary.?
3. He outlined TikTok’s plan to store American data on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel in partnership with Oracle called, “Project Texas.”?
4. He asked for evidence to be presented in regards to security breaches so that they could discuss it and none was given.?

The politicians didn't seem swayed or interested in actually hearing Chew, comparing his responses to Zuckerberg’s hearing in 2018, (which only says to us that Congress STILL doesn’t understand how social media works). They didn't ask questions; they made accusations with no proof to back up their claims. With an election year looming, it’s no surprise that everyone’s jumping on the trend of hating TikTok.?

Further, the bill that’s been put forward to fast track actually steps on a lot of freedoms outside of just TikTok (look it up; it's concerning).

Senator Rand Paul blocked the bill, stating, “I think we should beware of those who use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties. Every accusation of data gathering that has been attributed to TikTok could also be attributed to domestic big tech companies.” We're inclined to agree with them.

So is TikTok really more harmful than other social media apps? We honestly don’t know. Russia used Twitter to infiltrate and influence a Presidential Election. Facebook was predicted to crumble after massive privacy issues that led to its days in court. YouTube was targeted for its algorithm promoting extreme racism and hate videos. We've let these other giants stand even with proof of major security and privacy breaches.

Even without proof being brought forward, TikTok has invested a significant amount of money and personnel into creating a secure system for its users, especially for being such a young company.?When you look at what the Ban Bill actually says, it makes you question whether TikTok is being used as a scapegoat for a bigger plan.

So what does this mean for me? TBD for now. But, regardless of whether TikTok gets banned, the way in which the app has changed the way we consume content is NOT going away.?

Even if the players shift, short-form video is here to stay. Even as we wait to see what happens on The Hill, you need to be investing in short-form content for your business and brand.?