Defiant TikTok CEO Shou Chu urges Americans to “make their voices heard” against banning Chinese-owned app, overwhelmingly approves bill to force parent company ByteDance to divest It effectively criticized the members of the House of Representatives who passed the bill.
Chiu doubles down on his company’s aggressive pressure campaign even after TikTok reportedly infuriated members of Congress by sending push notifications pressuring users to protest the bill to local legislators before the vote did. TikTok appears poised to use the same tactic against U.S. senators.
“We believe that together we can overcome this situation.” Chu said late Wednesday.. “We encourage you to keep sharing your story. Share it with your friends, family, and your senators. Protect your constitutional rights. Make your voice heard. We love you all. ”
In a short video, Chu called the outcome of Wednesday’s House vote “unfortunate” and blamed “a lot of misinformation” about the legislative push. He also suggested that TikTok would “exercise its legal rights” as the bill passes through Congress.
The Post has reached out to TikTok for further comment.
The House of Representatives voted 352-65 in favor of the bill to protect Americans from regulatory applications by foreign enemies, easily achieving the two-thirds majority needed for passage. As the Post reported, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is under intense pressure to bring the bill to a vote.
On the eve of the vote, Chu and the rest of TikTok’s leadership took the controversial step of inviting users to lobby on TikTok’s behalf. Reports detail how lawmakers were furious after their office phones rang with calls from angry TikTokers.
“I think with billions of dollars you can come up with some crazy public relations strategy,” says a senior Republican aide. told Axios last week. “But that is backfiring as members are outraged by all the calls and misinformation.”
After the bill passed, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), lead sponsor of the House China Select Committee, was among the lawmakers who said TikTok’s no-holds-barred approach backfired.
Gallagher said the barrage “gave our members a preview of how platforms can be weaponized and disinformation is injected into the system.”
TikTok argues that the bill, which gives TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance six months to sell its shares, is a de facto ban. The company believes that even if it were inclined to sell, 180 days is too short a period to realistically accomplish a sale.
TikTok said in a statement: “This process was secret and the bill stalled for one reason: it was banned.” “We want the Senate to consider the facts, listen to voters, and recognize the impact on our economy, our 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our services. I look forward to it.”
On Thursday, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was forming a group of investors to explore the possibility of acquiring TikTok.
