TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew Responds to Recent Bill Potentially Leading to US Ban

The US Senate recently passed a bill stating that ByteDance, the parent company of social media app TikTok, must sell the platform to a US-based company within 9 months or face a total ban within the United States. 79 senators voted in favor of the bill, a landslide against the 18 who disagreed. President Joe Biden then signed the bill imposing the law.

While Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s Head of Public Policy for the Americas, already mentioned that the company will fight the legislation in court, a new video has emerged from TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, responding to the situation stated, “It’s obviously a disappointing moment, but it does not need to be a defining one.”

“The Facts and the Constitution Are on Our Side”, Says TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew

As previously mentioned by Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s Head of Public Policy for the Americas, the company plans to challenge the legislation citing that it is a clear violation of the First Amendment rights of the 170 million users on the social media platform, which is roughly around half the US population.

Following this, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew uploaded a video on the platform, responding to the bill. He says: 

“Make no mistake, this is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on your voice. Many who sponsored the Bill admit a TikTok ban is the ultimate goal. It’s obviously a disappointing moment, but it does not need to be a defining one. It’s actually ironic because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom. 

TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard. And that’s why so many people have made TikTok part of their daily lives. Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere. We are confident and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side. And we expect to prevail again.”

TikTok quickly became one of the most popular apps in the United States ever since its introduction in 2017. The social media platform has become the main source of income for numerous content creators and 7 million business owners whose livelihoods depend on the app.

However, growing security concerns among lawmakers state that the existence of TikTok within the country means that the Chinese government could gain access to user data.

Following India's blanket ban on TikTok in June 2020, several other countries quickly took similar actions, either implementing nationwide bans or prohibiting government officials from installing the app on government-issued devices.