TikTok boss Shou Chew wants to defend himself once morest the US law that is intended to bring the short video app under the control of American investors. The company will use all legal means to defend the platform, he said in a video published on Wednesday. TikTok insists that the goal of the law is to ban the app in the US.
Parent company denies allegations
US politicians, on the other hand, emphasize that they simply want to ensure that Chinese authorities cannot exert any influence on TikTok that harms American interests. The company and its parent company Bytedance deny all allegations.
The law might result in TikTok being banned from American app stores if there is no change in ownership. It was passed with a large majority in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday and now has to pass the Senate as the second chamber of parliament. President Joe Biden has already announced that he will sign the law.
300,000 jobs at risk?
Shou Chew pointed out that the law will give “a handful of other social media companies” more influence. The TikTok boss also claimed the bill would put 300,000 jobs in the US at risk. His company often points to small businesses using the service for advertising. TikTok claims to have 170 million users in the USA.
China also responded to the law yesterday with accusations once morest Washington. “The way the US handles the TikTok issue will make it clearer to the world whether the US’s rules and laws serve the world or just the US itself,” Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
The US side has never presented evidence that TikTok threatens US national security. “And yet national security reasons are being abused to unjustifiably oppress related companies.” The US was acting according to the logic of a robber baron, it was said from Beijing.
