US Senators Investigate TikTok’s Hiring of ByteDance Executives

The TikTok logo is featured in this illustration taken on June 2, 2023.

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 3 – Two U.S. senators have initiated an investigation into the recent reported hiring of several high-level executives from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by the short video sharing app TikTok.

Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, voiced their concerns in a letter addressed to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on Tuesday. They highlighted that these personnel changes raise questions regarding the independence of TikTok’s operations and the security of its U.S. users’ information. TikTok, which did not respond immediately to a request for comment, is utilized by over 150 million Americans and has faced persistent calls from U.S. lawmakers for a nationwide ban due to apprehensions about potential Chinese government influence.

“The personnel changes create the perception that TikTok is attempting to maintain ByteDance’s influence over TikTok while trying to evade suspicion,” the senators wrote. They requested a comprehensive account of the security protocols imposed on ByteDance employees transferring from China to the U.S.

Efforts to grant the Biden administration new powers to ban TikTok have encountered obstacles in Congress. Senator Maria Cantwell has been collaborating with the White House and other lawmakers on a revised bill aimed at addressing concerns about TikTok and other foreign-owned apps.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who sought unanimous consent to gain approval for legislation banning TikTok in May, intends to press for a vote on the matter later this year. “We need to revisit this issue and ban it,” he told Reuters last month. “(TikTok) has employed an extensive number of lobbyists, they are consistently present in the halls, and they have been able to impede progress.”

Former President Donald Trump attempted to prohibit new downloads of TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat, in 2020. However, a series of court decisions prevented the bans from taking effect.

TikTok is presently contesting a ban imposed by the state of Montana set to be enforced on January 1. A judge has scheduled an October 12 hearing on TikTok’s lawsuit.