U.S. Senators Investigate TikTok’s Executive Hirings Amid Concerns Over Independence and Security

Senators Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, and Republican Marsha Blackburn have initiated an investigation into the recent hiring of high-level executives by the short video-sharing app TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In a letter addressed to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, the senators expressed their concerns, suggesting that these hirings raise questions about the independence of TikTok’s operations and the security of U.S. user data.

“The personnel changes give the impression that TikTok is attempting to preserve ByteDance’s influence over TikTok while avoiding suspicion,” stated the senators. They have requested a detailed report on the security protocols enforced for ByteDance employees transferring to the U.S. from China.

TikTok responded by welcoming the opportunity to provide senators with factual information regarding its hiring practices. A TikTok spokesperson emphasized that within a large, global organization, it is common for employees to work on different products or geographies during their careers.

With over 150 million American users, TikTok has been under scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers who have voiced concerns about potential Chinese government influence. Efforts to grant the Biden administration expanded authority to ban TikTok have encountered obstacles in Congress. Senator Maria Cantwell has collaborated with the White House and fellow legislators to develop a revised bill addressing concerns related to TikTok and other foreign-owned apps.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who previously sought unanimous consent for legislation to ban TikTok in May, intends to press for a vote on the matter later this year. “We need to come back to it, and we need to ban it,” Senator Hawley told, citing TikTok’s extensive lobbying efforts and their ability to obstruct progress.

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump attempted to prohibit new downloads of TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat, a Tencent unit. However, a series of court rulings prevented the bans from taking effect.

TikTok is currently contesting a ban scheduled to take effect on January 1, imposed by the state of Montana. A hearing on TikTok’s lawsuit has been set for October 12.