Who is Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok?

Get to know Shou Zi Chew: TikTok CEO set to testify before Congress

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Last update: March 23, 2023 at 6:49 PM on the MoneyWatch blog.

The head of TikTok was questioned by US lawmakers in Congress.

During a panel with federal lawmakers on Thursday, Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, attempted to ease their worries about the social media platform's links to China and the potential security hazards that may arise as a result.

After largely working in investment banking and venture capital for the majority of his career, Chew became the leader of TikTok approximately two years ago.

Here's the important information you should be aware of.

Born in January of 1983 in Singapore, Chew fulfilled his compulsory military duty as a young adult before relocating to England to attend University College London. After acquiring an undergraduate degree in economics, he secured a position as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs in London.

After a couple of years, he departed from his previous position to relocate to the United States. His objective was to pursue further education at Harvard Business School, which he did in 2008. During his Harvard tenure, Chew worked as an intern at an up-and-coming tech startup named Facebook in 2009.

Chew worked for ten years at a capital firm that invested in new ideas and companies, located in Hong Kong, and also worked for a company that made electronics for people to use in the city of Beijing. This was after finishing their studies at Harvard University in the year 2010.

During the year 2021, he became a part of TikTok and its parent enterprise ByteDance. He holds two positions - that of TikTok CEO and ByteDance chief financial officer. Chew's superior is Liang Rubo, the CEO of ByteDance.

Chew and Vivian Kao have tied the knot and are blessed with a pair of offspring.

"What is the Reputation of Chew?"

According to Brooke Erin Duffy, an expert in social media platforms from Cornell University, Americans are not as familiar with the social media company Chew as they are with other big players in Silicon Valley like Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook.

He has not been involved in public discussions for a while, which means his reputation is not as well-known as those in Silicon Valley, particularly Zuckerberg. This was mentioned by the speaker.

Many people in America were introduced to Chew recently when he posted a video addressing TikTok's users in the United States. This made him relatively unknown to us, and we do not have a clear understanding of his identity.

Chew is highly regarded in the tech industries of both the United States and China. According to Managing Director Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, his experience in investment banking and previous positions at Facebook and DST Global made him a suitable candidate for the role at TikTok.

According to Ives, taking on the challenging position at TikTok resulted in the individual earning significant admiration. Additionally, it is speculated that the company believed this person was well-suited to alleviate any conflicts that may have arisen with government officials in the United States.

What is the reason behind Chew's appearance in front of the U.S. lawmakers?

Chew is being subjected to thorough questioning by the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as the likelihood of TikTok being banned is quickly increasing in Washington.

The committee will discuss TikTok's "practices related to the privacy and security of its users, the impact the platform has on minors, and its ties with the Chinese Communist Party," during Thursday's hearing.

Experts in national security have raised concerns that TikTok, a platform with 150 million users in America, may be utilized to spy on Americans or be utilized as a propaganda instrument by the Chinese government. Those who endorse forbidding the app in the United States claim that ByteDance, TikTok's parent corporation located in China, might be compelled to reveal user information to the CCP.

The use of TikTok on federal government gadgets, such as those in the military, has already been prohibited. As reported by CBS News last week, the Justice Department is currently looking into whether ByteDance engaged in espionage against American citizens, including reporters. A statement given by ByteDance stated that they strongly denounced the activities of the individuals involved and that they were no longer employed by the company.

The people who are knowledgeable about privacy have emphasized that there is no proof that TikTok has given information to the Chinese authority. Plus, their data gathering is not more intrusive than numerous apps born in the US like Instagram, YouTube, dating apps, and shopping apps. But, since TikTok is a Chinese establishment, it causes anxiety among some specialists in terms of national security.

What information has Chew conveyed to legislators up to this point?

During the House panel session, Chew explained that TikTok is creating a security measure that blocks any foreign unauthorized access to the valuable information of its U.S. users. This includes the formation of a fresh corporate entity that manages the handling of all U.S. user data.

Additionally, he made certain that members of the legislative body were convinced that TikTok has never disregarded or made light of worries pertaining to unauthorized foreign access to American data or possible manipulation of the TikTok platform in the United States.

The CEO stated that TikTok data from the United States is now being saved in Oracle servers as a standard procedure. Access to this data is only allowed to authorized personnel who are working for a new company known as TikTok U.S. Data Security.

According to Chew, TikTok intends to transfer American user information to an autonomous American panel for assessment.

He said, "In summary: information belonging to the United States is kept on land belonging to the United States, by a business owned by United States citizens, and managed by United States employees."

This report had a contribution from The Associated Press.

Khristopher J. Brooks works as a journalist for CBS MoneyWatch, writing about various subjects including business, finance, and issues affecting consumers. His articles can range from topics like economic disparity and problems with the housing market to bankruptcy cases and the field of sports business.

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