Lawmakers blast TikTok in hearing with CEO, citing "life and death" issues

TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew is defending the company from charges that it poses a national security threat at a the House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing Thursday.

Why it matters: The White House and TikTok's critics in Congress say the popular short-video app puts U.S. users' data at risk because TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company.

Chew repeatedly categorized TikTok as a global enterprise when asked about whether it's a Chinese company.

What they're saying: TikTok should be banned, House Energy and Commerce committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) said at the kickoff of the hearing.

"ByteDance is beholden to the CCP, and ByteDance and TikTok are one and the same," she said, accusing the platform of lying about ties to the Chinese government.