Timesof24
The chair of a US Home of Representatives panel desires TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to handle questions subsequent week in regards to the common Chinese language-owned video app’s efforts to guard youngsters from inappropriate content material and potential exploitation.
Chew shall be showing for the primary time earlier than Congress when he testifies earlier than the Home Vitality and Commerce Committee on March 23.
Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, mentioned Thursday lawmakers “have to know what actions the corporate is taking to maintain our youngsters secure from on-line and offline harms.”
McMorris Rodgers and different Republicans in December wrote TikTok saying mentioned “many youngsters are uncovered to continuous choices of inappropriate content material that TikTok’s algorithm force-feeds to them.” In addition they raised considerations that TikTok livestreamed occasions enable grownup TikTok customers to supply financial rewards to “persuade youngsters to carry out sexually suggestive acts.”
TikTok, owned by Chinese language tech firm ByteDance, mentioned the Biden administration had threatened to ban the app in america if its Chinese language homeowners didn’t promote their stakes within the firm.
“Individuals need to know the extent to which their privateness is jeopardized and their information is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China,” she added. The US authorities has raised considerations that TikTok’s consumer information may very well be handed on to China’s authorities.
TikTok, which didn’t instantly remark, mentioned earlier this month it’s creating a instrument that may enable mother and father to stop their teenagers from viewing content material containing sure phrases or hashtags on the short-form video app.
TikTok introduced new options to assist customers restrict the period of time spent on the app. Accounts belonging to customers below 18 will robotically have a time restrict of 1 hour per day, and youths might want to enter a passcode to proceed utilizing the app.
TikTok and the Biden administration have been negotiating for greater than two years on information safety necessities. TikTok mentioned it has spent greater than $1.5 billion (almost Rs. 12,400 crore) on rigorous information safety efforts and rejects spying allegations.
The Biden administration demand for divestiture was essentially the most dramatic in a sequence of latest steps by US officers and legislators.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
