The Washington PostThe Washington Post

TikTok’s CEO launches aggressive push to fend off a ban of popular app

By Drew Harwell

15 Feb 2023 · 7 min read

Editor's Note

As he tells the Post, TikTok's Shou Zi Chew is trying to convince U.S. lawmakers that the social media platform doesn't pose a threat to national security. Things aren’t going entirely to plan though.

After months of virtual silence, TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew is preparing for the fight of his professional life, meeting with members of Congress and state governors as part of an aggressive push to prove the wildly popular Chinese-owned app is not a national security threat.

"There are more than 100 million voices in this country, and I think it'll be a real shame if our users around the world are not able to hear them anymore," Chew said Tuesday during an exclusive interview with The Washington Post, referring to the number of U.S. TikTok users.

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