TikTok: ‘Stupid’ questions for app’s CEO echo across the internet

This Thursday (23), Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, a Chinese short video app, testified before the US Congress and defended the social network against the US government’s words. For example, the company is accused of disclosing its users’ private data and providing it to the Chinese government, which would be an illegal practice. As a result, the US could completely ban TikTok within its borders.

In this scenario, Chew had to speak in front of US lawmakers, and for about five hours in the process was showered with several questions about TikTok’s policies and practices. However, according to some Internet users, not all of these questions were relevant and sometimes even sounded silly.

Below, check out a collection of questions collected by social media users that many powerful US figures say show how shallow their digital understanding is.

wifi

Richard Hudson (North Carolina Republican) “Mr. Chew, can TikTok connect to your home WiFi network?” asked.

Chew: “Only if user turns on WiFi. Sorry, I may have misunderstood the question.”

dilated pupils

Buddy Carter (Republican from Georgia) asked, “Can you tell me with 100% certainty that TikTok isn’t using the cell phone camera to determine if the pupil dilation content should be enlarged by the algorithm?”

Chew stated that TikTok does not collect bodily data to identify users. “Data collection” only happens when the user uses filters because some need to distinguish body parts in order to work properly. “We need to know where your eyes are,” Chew gave for example when talking about a simple filter that puts the wearer on sunglasses.

wrong nationality

In another embarrassing moment, Republican Dan Crenshaw implied that Chew, like other employees of ByteDance (the owner of TikTok), swore loyalty, protection, and cooperation to the Chinese government, as they are all Chinese and cannot escape from it. But he forgot that TikTok’s CEO is not Chinese.

“Congressman, first and foremost, I am Singaporean,” Chew said.

For now, banning TikTok in the US is still a possibility, and further developments on the case are due soon.