Senator grills TikTok CEO about ties to China

On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify at a time when lawmakers and parents are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.

The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hourslong event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas used part of the hearing to focus on TikTok CEO Shou Chew and TikTok's connections to China. TikTok is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance. Shou Chew replied by explaining that he is a citizen of Singapore, not China.

[sharedthoughts]

Ridiculous to ask those questions like in a criminal court! Shame on the senator 😡

[gstlb]

This guy must be thinking “ how did the USA become such a powerful country with people like this leading the government?”😂

[SlZIJI]

"So... are you Chinese or Japanese?"- Hank Hill

[TK-fkpo]

Tom Cotton might not know the difference between Singapore and China

[NicsHODLN]

He didn't grill him about ties to China, he just didn't know that Singapore wasn't a part of China because he's Arkansas educated. Merica 😂

[CarthageKing]

Ok. Now grill the senator about his ties to the Israel lobby

[barryb]

Cotton is an unbelievable tool and the mystery is how did he get elected but then I realized Boebert, Greene, Cruz, Gaetz, Perry, and of course Trump.

[arafathossain]

Singapore and China are totally two different nations with different values and systems.

[HiveMind]

Senator should get grilled about how much AIPAC money he swims in then will get some cold answers

[juanchevere]

What we cannot forget is the senators can't care less about what this really represents, what they see is an opportunity to be seen as tough and looking out for us. Which as we already should know, is pure 💩

[RayMak]

These people are the reason Americans are suffering

[yiquny]

Incompetent politician doesnot know what kind of questions are relevant

[jarrodmelson]

The Senator makes a complete fool out of himself

[LokiTheGodofMischief]

Both China and Singapore do not allow dual citizenship, and it is also impossible to get citizenship in China, ask any Chinese person born on foreign soil but has Chinese parents. Also, the CCP will not allow a non-Chinese person to Join the CCP.

If I asked you why didn't you bring your scuba-diving equipment to skydiving you would look at me like are you serious? That's not how Skydiving works. Similarly, that's not how these countries operate. But good try making himself look tough on Westerners who don't know anything beyond their borders and what their media tells them.

[jeffreytatara]

Is this the McCarthy hearings? Go back to your Red Scare days senators, good lord...

[mrfine]

The racist people in Amerrica is in the Capital Hill

[PassionFashion]

Our politicians make me vomit. Till you ask the same questions Israeli passport holders you are not the real American.

[Johnnykgb-nsa]

Where do these US Senator's come from, or who elects them?

[David-utzv]

We all know Harvard is not what it used to be.

[jacobyrb]

No sweeter combination in American politics than McCarthyism and racism.