TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew, faced a rigorous five-hour hearing on Capitol Hill this week, as lawmakers questioned the app's risks to US national security. Chew assured lawmakers of TikTok's ability to protect American privacy, mentioning Project Texas, its risk-mitigation plan. However, lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns, drilling down on the company's links to China through its parent company, ByteDance. The hearing saw lawmakers grill Chew on the app's risks, including potential harm to kids through its addictive features and potentially dangerous posts. They also questioned whether US user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government. Chew's testimony failed to provide lawmakers with a sense of reassurance, raising more questions than answers.

TikTok's links to China have long been a cause for concern among US lawmakers, with calls for the app to be banned in the country due to perceived national security concerns. While TikTok acknowledges federal officials' demands for its Chinese owners to sell their stake, it maintains that it has become an essential part of American culture and is relied upon by creators and small business owners. TikTok is widely popular in the US, with over 150 million users, and was the top downloaded app in the country in both 2021 and 2022. However, despite its popularity, it remains to be seen whether TikTok can adequately address lawmakers' concerns about its national security risks.