CHINA CONTINUES TO OPPOSE TIKTOK SALE

Ahead of a congressional hearing involving TikTok’s chief executive, China says it will oppose any forced sale of the short-video app. China’s Commerce Ministry said any exportation of Chinese technology requires a government OK, which it will not grant.

The Biden administration is pushing for ByteDance to divest the app over concerns that data TikTok has gathered on users is heading straight to Beijing. There’s also a fear that TikTok’s recommendation algorithms could be used to drive public opinion on a multitude of issues.

TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew is answering questions about safety and security concerns, insisting that a sale will not be more effective than TikTok’s own proposed security measures for U.S. data.

The Associated Press has reported that Chew told officials, “ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country... TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government. Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.”

The House committee has a YouTube channel where the hearing can be viewed. Tik Tok users are expected to hack up the footage into 20-second bites and set it to some '70s song most people have forgotten.