The repeated and baseless suppression on the popular short-form video app TikTok by the United States is an act of bullying that will ultimately backfire on the U.S. itself, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

How China reacted to US House passing bill to force ByteDance to divest TikTok or face ban

TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on&nbsp;Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the&nbsp;bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech. He&nbsp;warned that people should "beware" of entities that "use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties" and said that a ban on the app will imitate "Chinese speech bans." Asking if the US is "going to be just like China", Paul&nbsp;alleged that such a bill would give the US president "limitless authority" to ban speech.

"If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation they should pass this bill to ban TikTok — a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans," said Paul on the Senate floor.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;US: Legislation to address SECURITY WORRIES about TikTok

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"Do we really want to emulate Chinese speech bans?... We're going to be just like China and ban speech we're afraid of?" he questioned.

Paul&nbsp;is just one among many; recently a growing number of conservatives and democrats have come out in opposition&nbsp;or have raised concerns about the RESTRICT Act. Free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union are also against the TikTok ban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-assures-us-lawmakers-legacy-data-will-be-deleted-this-year-575125">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year</a>

Those in opposition cite free speech and other issues and have objected to the legislation targeting TikTok as overly broad.

Former Republican Representative Justin Amash claims that the "RESTRICT Act isn’t about banning TikTok; it’s about controlling you. It gives broad powers to the executive branch, with few checks, and will be abused in every way you can imagine."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-to-go-ahead-with-the-proposal-banning-tiktok-use-nationwide-576555">US lawmakers to go ahead with the proposal banning TikTok use nationwide</a>

Similarly, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a TikTok video posted on Friday opposed a TikTok ban. Calling it "unprecedented", she said Congress has not seen classified TikTok briefings.&nbsp;"It just doesn't feel right to me," she added.

The RESTRICT Act is the brain-child of a Democrat and a Republican. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, have proposed the Act. The ban now has 22 Senate co-sponsors. If enacted, it will give the US Commerce Department the authority to impose limits, and if needed, completely ban TikTok and other technologies that could in its opinion pose&nbsp;a security issue.&nbsp;Reuters reported that the new rule would be applicable to technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

(With inputs from agencies)

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TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech.

TikTok's possible ban in the United States was blocked by US Republican Senator Rand Paul on Wednesday. Senator Paul, as per Reuters, blocked the bid to fast-track the Chinese-owned social media app's ban, citing concerns about free speech. He warned that people should "beware" of entities that "use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties" and said that a ban on the app will imitate "Chinese speech bans." Asking if the US is "going to be just like China", Paul alleged that such a bill would give the US president "limitless authority" to ban speech. "If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation they should pass this bill to ban TikTok — a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans," said Paul on the Senate floor. Watch | US: Legislation to address SECURITY WORRIES about TikTok "Do we really want to emulate Chinese speech bans?... We're going to be just like China and ban speech we're afraid of?" he questioned. Paul is just one among many; recently a growing number of conservatives and democrats have come out in opposition or have raised concerns about the RESTRICT Act. Free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union are also against the TikTok ban. Also read | TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year Those in opposition cite free speech and other issues and have objected to the legislation targeting TikTok as overly broad. Former Republican Representative Justin Amash claims that the "RESTRICT Act isn’t about banning TikTok; it’s about controlling you. It gives broad powers to the executive branch, with few checks, and will be abused in every way you can imagine." Also read | US lawmakers to go ahead with the proposal banning TikTok use nationwide Similarly, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a TikTok video posted on Friday opposed a TikTok ban. Calling it "unprecedented", she said Congress has not seen classified TikTok briefings. "It just doesn't feel right to me," she added. The RESTRICT Act is the brain-child of a Democrat and a Republican. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, have proposed the Act. The ban now has 22 Senate co-sponsors. If enacted, it will give the US Commerce Department the authority to impose limits, and if needed, completely ban TikTok and other technologies that could in its opinion pose a security issue. Reuters reported that the new rule would be applicable to technologies from China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Republican Rand Paul blocks TikTok ban, asks if US is 'going to be just like China' and block free speech

In his first-ever appearance before the US Congress, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled for almost five hours.&nbsp;

The hearing, which took place on Thursday in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, saw the combative US lawmakers raising concerns over the app’s alleged ties with the Chinese government and privacy practices.

“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” he said as he began his testimony.

Defending TikTok’s privacy practices, Chew said, “There are more than 150 million Americans who love our platform, and we know we have a responsibility to protect them.”

Here are the key takeaways from the hearing:

China’s shadow over TikTok

In a rare bipartisan call, many of the lawmakers—Democrats and Republicans—called for a complete ban on the video-sharing app, claiming that it has links with the Chinese government.

The committee members sought to know how frequently Chew was in contact with them, and questioned whether the company’s proposed solution, called Project Texas, would offer sufficient protection against the Chinese laws under which companies operating in the mainland are obligated to make user data accessible to the government.

A Democrat from California, Tony Cárdenas, asked Chew if TikTok is a Chinese company.

Chew responded that TikTok is global in nature, and headquartered in Singapore and Los Angeles, and not available in mainland China.

The CEO rubbished claims that TikTok poses national security threat in the US, saying that a lot of the risks pointed out were “hypothetical and theoretical”.

<h2>TikTok CEO grilled over alleged China ties by US lawmakers for 5 hours</h2>

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He said that under the company’s US$1.5 billion Project Texas plan, the handling of US data will be stored into a separate division of the company, co-controlled with Austin-based company, Oracle.

&nbsp;“American data is stored on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel,” he said.

“So the risk would be similar to any government going to an American company, asking for data,” he added.

TikTok and data collection

The congressmen also question about TikTok’s data collection practices.

Chew responded by emphasising that the data TikTok collects is the data “that’s frequently collected by many other companies in our industry.”

“We are committed to be very transparent with our users about what we collect,” Chew said. “I don’t believe what we collect is more than most players in the industry.”

He was then asked if the app collects data on health and GPS. He told the committee that it doesn’t.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-evidence-hypothetical-tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-on-indias-reasons-to-ban-app-575172">‘No evidence, hypothetical’: TikTok CEO on India’s reasons to ban app</a>

The CEO also said that American tech firms “don’t have a good track record” when it comes to data privacy, singling out Facebook over the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

&nbsp;Youth safety and mental health

One of the important topics that came up for discussion was what kind of impact the app has on children.

The lawmakers raised concerns over reports that &nbsp;the app promotes harmful content and wanted to know whether TikTok was taking any measures to moderate t.

&nbsp;“Your technology is leading to death,” Republican Representative Gus Bilirakis said.

Chew said that as a father of two, the issues around youth safety were “personal for me”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-assures-us-lawmakers-legacy-data-will-be-deleted-this-year-575125">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year</a>

He asserted that the app provides users with “age-appropriate settings and controls”, and that it offers a “separate experience” in the US for children under 13.

The 40-yeear-old said that that videos are first vetted by a third-party expert Common Sense Network, and then made accessible to children to give them a “curated viewing experience”.

Those under 13 also cannot post videos, comment or message others, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In his first-ever appearance before the US Congress, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled for almost five hours. The hearing, which took place on Thursday in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, saw the combative US lawmakers raising concerns over the app’s alleged ties with the Chinese government and privacy practices.

In his first-ever appearance before the US Congress, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled for almost five hours. The hearing, which took place on Thursday in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, saw the combative US lawmakers raising concerns over the app’s alleged ties with the Chinese government and privacy practices. “Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” he said as he began his testimony. Defending TikTok’s privacy practices, Chew said, “There are more than 150 million Americans who love our platform, and we know we have a responsibility to protect them.” Here are the key takeaways from the hearing: China’s shadow over TikTok In a rare bipartisan call, many of the lawmakers—Democrats and Republicans—called for a complete ban on the video-sharing app, claiming that it has links with the Chinese government. The committee members sought to know how frequently Chew was in contact with them, and questioned whether the company’s proposed solution, called Project Texas, would offer sufficient protection against the Chinese laws under which companies operating in the mainland are obligated to make user data accessible to the government. A Democrat from California, Tony Cárdenas, asked Chew if TikTok is a Chinese company. Chew responded that TikTok is global in nature, and headquartered in Singapore and Los Angeles, and not available in mainland China. The CEO rubbished claims that TikTok poses national security threat in the US, saying that a lot of the risks pointed out were “hypothetical and theoretical”. TikTok CEO grilled over alleged China ties by US lawmakers for 5 hours He said that under the company’s US$1.5 billion Project Texas plan, the handling of US data will be stored into a separate division of the company, co-controlled with Austin-based company, Oracle. “American data is stored on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel,” he said. “So the risk would be similar to any government going to an American company, asking for data,” he added. TikTok and data collection The congressmen also question about TikTok’s data collection practices. Chew responded by emphasising that the data TikTok collects is the data “that’s frequently collected by many other companies in our industry.” “We are committed to be very transparent with our users about what we collect,” Chew said. “I don’t believe what we collect is more than most players in the industry.” He was then asked if the app collects data on health and GPS. He told the committee that it doesn’t. Also read | ‘No evidence, hypothetical’: TikTok CEO on India’s reasons to ban app The CEO also said that American tech firms “don’t have a good track record” when it comes to data privacy, singling out Facebook over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Youth safety and mental health One of the important topics that came up for discussion was what kind of impact the app has on children. The lawmakers raised concerns over reports that the app promotes harmful content and wanted to know whether TikTok was taking any measures to moderate t. “Your technology is leading to death,” Republican Representative Gus Bilirakis said. Chew said that as a father of two, the issues around youth safety were “personal for me”. Also read | TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year He asserted that the app provides users with “age-appropriate settings and controls”, and that it offers a “separate experience” in the US for children under 13. The 40-yeear-old said that that videos are first vetted by a third-party expert Common Sense Network, and then made accessible to children to give them a “curated viewing experience”. Those under 13 also cannot post videos, comment or message others, he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok CEO grilled: Here are key takeaways from Shou Zi Chew’s Congress hearing

TikTok CEO faced relentless questioning from combative US lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle. Lawmakers quizzed Shou Zi Chew over the video sharing apps' alleged ties to China and its possible danger to teenagers.

Global crackdown on TikTok: US lawmakers want nationwide ban on app

TikTok CEO grilled over alleged China ties by US lawmakers for 5 hours

TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens. Faced with intense grilling by both Democrats ad Republicans, Chew addressed "concerns about the potential for unwanted foreign access to US data." He said that the company has addressed the concerns with "real action" for the past two years and that TikTok has "legacy" US data which will be deleted this year.

"We have legacy US data sitting in our servers in Virginia and in Singapore. We're deleting those and we expect that to be complete this year," he said during the morning session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.

Watch |&nbsp;TikTok CEO grilled by US lawmakers

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He added that "when that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of the US-led security team. This eliminates the concern that some of you have shared with me that TikTok user data can be subject to Chinese law."

The hearing comes as TikTok seeks to survive a White House ultimatum that to avoid getting banned in the United States, the application must&nbsp;split&nbsp;from its Chinese owners.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-parliament-joins-forces-with-government-bans-tiktok-575109">UK parliament joins forces with government, bans TikTok</a>

Chew said that TikTok's parent company ByteDance "is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company."

Democrat Congressman Darren Soto, however, reiterated the demand that "TikTok needs to be an American company with American values and end all ties to the Chinese Communist Party."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-users-descend-on-us-capitol-to-protest-against-calls-for-ban-on-app-574916">TikTok users descend on US Capitol to protest against calls for ban on app</a>

TikTok which in America boasts a user base of 150 million faces a ban which, as per AFP, would be an "unprecedented&nbsp;act" on a media company by the US government.&nbsp;

The company, however, still hopes to appease the authorities with its elaborate plan titled "Project Texas," through which it seeks to satisfy national security concerns, under which the handling of US data will be ring-fenced into a US-run division. Lawmakers, however, posed severe doubts and stressed the demand that the application snips its Chinese ties.

(With inputs from agencies)

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TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens.

TikTok chief Shou Zi Chew on Thursday faced relentless questioning at the hands of US lawmakers over the video-sharing application's alleged ties to China and the danger it poses to teens. Faced with intense grilling by both Democrats ad Republicans, Chew addressed "concerns about the potential for unwanted foreign access to US data." He said that the company has addressed the concerns with "real action" for the past two years and that TikTok has "legacy" US data which will be deleted this year. "We have legacy US data sitting in our servers in Virginia and in Singapore. We're deleting those and we expect that to be complete this year," he said during the morning session of the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Watch | TikTok CEO grilled by US lawmakers He added that "when that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of the US-led security team. This eliminates the concern that some of you have shared with me that TikTok user data can be subject to Chinese law." The hearing comes as TikTok seeks to survive a White House ultimatum that to avoid getting banned in the United States, the application must split from its Chinese owners. Also read | UK parliament joins forces with government, bans TikTok Chew said that TikTok's parent company ByteDance "is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company." Democrat Congressman Darren Soto, however, reiterated the demand that "TikTok needs to be an American company with American values and end all ties to the Chinese Communist Party." Also read | TikTok users descend on US Capitol to protest against calls for ban on app TikTok which in America boasts a user base of 150 million faces a ban which, as per AFP, would be an "unprecedented act" on a media company by the US government. The company, however, still hopes to appease the authorities with its elaborate plan titled "Project Texas," through which it seeks to satisfy national security concerns, under which the handling of US data will be ring-fenced into a US-run division. Lawmakers, however, posed severe doubts and stressed the demand that the application snips its Chinese ties. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew assures US lawmakers 'legacy' data will be deleted this year

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is&nbsp;running the risk of being banned across the United States.

On Thursday (March 23), the 40-year-old Singaporean will testify&nbsp;before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee on&nbsp;the app's data security and privacy policies, as well as its suspected connections to China, reported the BBC.

The public face of TikTok, chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas, was questioned by Congress in 2022 over the alleged flow of the US's&nbsp;data&nbsp;to China.

The company made a point of mentioning that Chew&nbsp;is not from China but rather is "a Singaporean based in Singapore" in a letter sent to MPs last June, underlining that it acts independently of parent company ByteDance.

Chew, who leads one of the best-known apps in the world but is comparatively low profile, will be required to defend TikTok&nbsp;before some of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's more scathing critics.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-monthly-active-users-in-us-jump-to-150-million-ceo-set-to-testify-before-congress-574185">TikTok’s monthly active users in US jump to 150mn, firm launches PR exercise to fix sullied image</a>

In an interview from the firm's WeWork headquarters in Washington, he stated that he does not see Thursday's meeting as a last-ditch attempt to save TikTok's US operations, but rather as an opportunity to explain what the company is attempting to do and to gather feedback from Congress members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;

"I look at it as an opportunity to do that, not a do-or-die" moment, he said.

<h2>Shou Zi Chew's early days</h2>

Born and raised in Singapore, Chew&nbsp;went to a prestigious Chinese-language&nbsp;school and speaks both&nbsp;Mandarin and English fluently. While completing his military conscription, he held the honourable position of officer in Singapore's armed services.

Prior to enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA and served as an intern at social media giant Facebook when it was still a start-up, Chew graduated from University College London with a Bachelor's in Economics, as per BBC reports.

He reportedly spent five years working for the investment firm DST Global, where he led a team that invested early in ByteDance in 2013.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-to-testify-that-app-has-never-shared-data-with-chinese-government-574637">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to testify that app never shared users’ data with Chinese government</a>

Furthermore, he spent two years working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs.&nbsp;

The Chinese smartphone powerhouse Xiaomi, where&nbsp;Chew later served as its chief financial officer and president of its international business, hired him to lead it through its 2018 IPO.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;TikTok denies transferring data to China, CEO says 'never shared users' data'

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In March 2021, he left the company and joined ByteDance, where he was the first to hold the position of chief financial officer.&nbsp;

He took over as TikTok CEO two months later, after his predecessor Kevin Mayer abruptly resigned due to the Trump administration's efforts to force the sale of TikTok's US assets.

In February 2022, almost a year after assuming charge of the platform, he created his own TikTok account, @shou.time to share snippets of his personal life. Since then, Chew's over 18,000 followers have seen him at the Super Bowl and NBA games, meeting public figures like Bill Murray, and painfully attempting to dance with singer Ciara.&nbsp;

He has worked the media circuit, sharing in interviews his love of golf and admiration for comic Kevin Hart. The father of two, who is married to Vivian Kao, the head of an investment firm, has also stated that he does not let his kids use TikTok because they are "too young."

<h2>Challenging road ahead</h2>

As US politicians demand TikTok transfer control of its US assets or face a ban, Chew is currently faced with one of the biggest challenges of his career.

The issue has also been a source of contention for the Chinese.&nbsp;

The TikTok ban campaign is being driven by a "toxic American political atmosphere," according to an opinion piece published on Tuesday by the state-run Global Times, and it would go against free market principles. TikTok's Chinese origin is considered an&nbsp;"original sin" by US officials and lawmakers, it said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-over-two-dozen-state-govts-use-trackers-made-by-tiktoks-parent-company-report-574758">US: Over two dozen state govts use trackers made by TikTok’s parent company, says report</a>

TikTok announced it will hire Oracle Corp. to independently monitor against any intervention from Beijing as part of a billion-dollar investment plan to separate the app from its Chinese owners, reported&nbsp;the Wall Street Journal. The company claims that the procedures represent an unprecedented effort to reassure Americans that their data is secure.&nbsp;

Washington has banned TikTok, despite the fact that it is still quite popular nationwide. On Tuesday,&nbsp;Chew personally addressed US users in a TikTok video, drawing their attention to the potential ban. He claimed in the video that the app has 150 million US&nbsp;users, or nearly half the country's population.

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Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is running the risk of being banned across the United States.

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, is currently in the spotlight amid growing scepticism of the Chinese app around the world. The app is running the risk of being banned across the United States. On Thursday (March 23), the 40-year-old Singaporean will testify before the US House Energy and Commerce Committee on the app's data security and privacy policies, as well as its suspected connections to China, reported the BBC. The public face of TikTok, chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas, was questioned by Congress in 2022 over the alleged flow of the US's data to China. The company made a point of mentioning that Chew is not from China but rather is "a Singaporean based in Singapore" in a letter sent to MPs last June, underlining that it acts independently of parent company ByteDance. Chew, who leads one of the best-known apps in the world but is comparatively low profile, will be required to defend TikTok before some of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's more scathing critics. ALSO READ | TikTok’s monthly active users in US jump to 150mn, firm launches PR exercise to fix sullied image In an interview from the firm's WeWork headquarters in Washington, he stated that he does not see Thursday's meeting as a last-ditch attempt to save TikTok's US operations, but rather as an opportunity to explain what the company is attempting to do and to gather feedback from Congress members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. "I look at it as an opportunity to do that, not a do-or-die" moment, he said. Shou Zi Chew's early days Born and raised in Singapore, Chew went to a prestigious Chinese-language school and speaks both Mandarin and English fluently. While completing his military conscription, he held the honourable position of officer in Singapore's armed services. Prior to enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA and served as an intern at social media giant Facebook when it was still a start-up, Chew graduated from University College London with a Bachelor's in Economics, as per BBC reports. He reportedly spent five years working for the investment firm DST Global, where he led a team that invested early in ByteDance in 2013. ALSO READ | TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to testify that app never shared users’ data with Chinese government Furthermore, he spent two years working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. The Chinese smartphone powerhouse Xiaomi, where Chew later served as its chief financial officer and president of its international business, hired him to lead it through its 2018 IPO. ALSO WATCH | TikTok denies transferring data to China, CEO says 'never shared users' data' In March 2021, he left the company and joined ByteDance, where he was the first to hold the position of chief financial officer. He took over as TikTok CEO two months later, after his predecessor Kevin Mayer abruptly resigned due to the Trump administration's efforts to force the sale of TikTok's US assets. In February 2022, almost a year after assuming charge of the platform, he created his own TikTok account, @shou.time to share snippets of his personal life. Since then, Chew's over 18,000 followers have seen him at the Super Bowl and NBA games, meeting public figures like Bill Murray, and painfully attempting to dance with singer Ciara. He has worked the media circuit, sharing in interviews his love of golf and admiration for comic Kevin Hart. The father of two, who is married to Vivian Kao, the head of an investment firm, has also stated that he does not let his kids use TikTok because they are "too young." Challenging road ahead As US politicians demand TikTok transfer control of its US assets or face a ban, Chew is currently faced with one of the biggest challenges of his career. The issue has also been a source of contention for the Chinese. The TikTok ban campaign is being driven by a "toxic American political atmosphere," according to an opinion piece published on Tuesday by the state-run Global Times, and it would go against free market principles. TikTok's Chinese origin is considered an "original sin" by US officials and lawmakers, it said. ALSO READ | US: Over two dozen state govts use trackers made by TikTok’s parent company, says report TikTok announced it will hire Oracle Corp. to independently monitor against any intervention from Beijing as part of a billion-dollar investment plan to separate the app from its Chinese owners, reported the Wall Street Journal. The company claims that the procedures represent an unprecedented effort to reassure Americans that their data is secure. Washington has banned TikTok, despite the fact that it is still quite popular nationwide. On Tuesday, Chew personally addressed US users in a TikTok video, drawing their attention to the potential ban. He claimed in the video that the app has 150 million US users, or nearly half the country's population. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXPLAINED | Who is Shou Zi Chew? TikTok CEO attempting to save its US operations

TikTok denies data transfer: As a major global economies including United Kingdom and United States and New Zealand, banned or restricted the use of TikTok. The CEO of the Chinese short video app Shou Zi Chew has declared and clarified that it doesn't transfer data to the Chinese government.

TikTok denies transferring data to China, CEO says 'never shared users' data'

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