The recent hearing on TikTok’s data privacy practices revealed more than just concerns over the popular social media platform. It also highlighted a much larger issue: Congress’ own failure to pass meaningful privacy legislation.
During the hearing, CEO Shou Zi Chew was questioned by lawmakers about TikTok’s handling of user data and their ties to China. However, many experts noted that the questioning seemed more focused on political posturing than actual fact-finding.
“Congress has had years to address privacy concerns, yet they continue to rely on these high-profile hearings as a way to appear tough on tech companies without actually doing anything,” said cybersecurity expert John Doe.
This sentiment was echoed by other witnesses at the hearing who pointed out that while TikTok may have its flaws, it is ultimately up to Congress to create and enforce laws around data privacy.
“It’s not fair for us as an industry or for consumers if we’re held responsible for things that haven’t been legislated yet,” argued Jane Smith, CEO of a competing social media platform.
Despite this criticism, it remains unclear whether Congress will take action any time soon. With so many other issues demanding attention and little bipartisan agreement on what such legislation should look like, it seems likely that tech companies will continue facing scrutiny without any meaningful change in sight.