The recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety was an event that captured significant attention. During the four-hour hearing, the CEOs of several prominent tech companies, including X, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Discord, were grilled about the potential dangers their services posed to children. The lawmakers, aware of the emotional impact such issues have on families, ensured that the focus remained on the safety of children who had been targeted by predators or harmed in other ways online.
Unfortunately, the hearing took an unexpected turn when the topic of TikTok’s ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance was brought up. While concerns about TikTok’s data storage policies and Chinese government influence over its moderation are valid, the discussion seemed to veer off course from the initially intended purpose of the hearing. The questions posed to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew became unrelated to child safety and increasingly centered on highlighting TikTok’s non-American origins.
One notable instance that stood out was Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) aggressively and repetitively pressing Chew regarding his citizenship. Despite it being widely known that Chew is Singaporean, Cotton continued to question him about his connection to China. The line of questioning seemed designed to play on Chew’s foreignness, rather than address the core issue of child safety. In fact, Chew had already discussed his relationship with China extensively during a previous appearance before Congress.
It is important to note that the scrutiny faced by TikTok and its Chinese ownership is not unique. Numerous other tech companies, such as Apple, have faced similar criticisms regarding their relationship with the Chinese government. However, the focus on nationality and attempts to make a connection between Chew’s foreign background and the potential risks to children seems unfounded. No reasonable person would argue that Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is secretly a communist merely because of Apple’s operations in China.
In response to Cotton’s questioning, Chew firmly asserted his Singaporean citizenship, making it clear that he is not a member of the Chinese Communist Party. In essence, the discussion surrounding TikTok’s Chinese ownership did little to contribute to the overarching goal of the hearing, which was to address child safety concerns.
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on child safety was an important occasion to discuss and address the potential dangers faced by children online. However, the unnecessary focus on TikTok’s Chinese ownership detracted from the primary purpose of the hearing. It is crucial to separate legitimate concerns about data security and government influence from tactics that exploit an individual’s foreign background. By refocusing on the core issue at hand, lawmakers can better ensure the safety and protection of children in the digital age.
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