TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew's four-hour testimony before Congress on Thursday did little to convince US legislators that the app is not connected to the Chinese government.
Instead, it seemed to add further momentum to a possible nationwide ban.
Mr Chew faced a barrage of questions from a group of hostile politicians who sit on the House energy and commerce committee, who grew more incredulous as the TikTok boss wavered under their questioning.
At one point during the marathon session, Mr Chew was asked if ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has “spied on American citizens”.
“I don’t think that spying is the right way to describe it,” he said.
He had earlier conceded that “there is still some data we need to delete”, which is still accessible to TikTok's staff in China, but tried to separate TikTok and its parent company from Beijing.
“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” Mr Chew said in his prepared opening remarks.
But he was hit with questions from an unconvinced group of congressional representatives.
There are already bills floating in Congress — including one endorsed by the White House — that would ban the app used by 150 million Americans.
President Joe Biden's administration also recently delivered TikTok an ultimatum, saying it could be banned if its Chinese owners did not sell their stake in the company.
“We do not trust TikTok will ever embrace American values — values for freedom, human rights and innovation,” said the committee's chairwoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
She said China could use the app “as a tool to manipulate America as a whole”.
“TikTok has repeatedly chosen a path for more control, more surveillance, and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned,” Ms McMorris Rodgers said.
Mr Chew said the app did not “promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government” and that the company was committed to not being manipulated by any government.
Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the panel, said commitments “to achieve those goals” had not been presented during Mr Chew's testimony.
“You're going to continue to gather data, you're going to continue to sell data … and continue to be under the aegis of the [Chinese] Communist Party,” Mr Pallone said.
Mr Chew outlined commitments that TikTok intends to make for users, including prioritising user safety, firewalling US data from unauthorised foreign access, ensuring the app is a platform for free expression and granting access to independent monitors.
In the days before the hearing, TikTok and Mr Chew have sought to allay concerns over security and safety on the platform.
He posted a video on the app explaining how it benefits small businesses.
But some in Congress oppose a ban on the app.
“Why the hysteria and the panic and the targeting of TikTok?” asked Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman at a news conference on Wednesday.
“Let's do the right thing here — comprehensive social media reform as it relates to privacy and security.”
Meanwhile, TikTok revamped its community guidelines and published a “Myth v Fact” sheet countering claims that its parent company is owned by China, Punchbowl News reported.
TikTok has also been trying to avoid a ban by promoting Project Texas, a $1.5 billion plan in which American users' data would be stored by the TikTok US Data Security Committee, independent of ByteDance.
Ms McMorris Rodgers dismissed Project Texas as a marketing scheme.
“TikTok is a grave threat of foreign influence in American life,” she said.
The app has already been banned on federal government devices for members of Congress and the military. Nearly half of all US states have also banned the app on government devices.
Other western governments, including the EU, Canada and New Zealand, have already banned TikTok. The UK has also announced a ban on the app on government devices.
Congress seeks assurances on safety for under-18s
Concerns over minors' use of the app was also widely expressed during Thursday's hearing, with many representatives rejecting Mr Chew's arguments of TikTok's safety.
“We aren’t buying it,” Ms McMorris Rodgers said.
Republican Representative Bob Latta of Ohio spoke of a 10-year-old girl who died while taking part in a “blackout challenge”, a social media trend that encouraged users to hold their breath until they passed out.
“Unfortunately, this is one of the many devastating examples of children losing their lives because of content promoted by TikTok,” Mr Latta said.
Mr Chew said during the hearing that TikTok bars dangerous content from being available to minors.
TikTok this month announced new parental controls that allow adults to limit screen time, among other measures.
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
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Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Honeymoonish
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
