TikTok CEO Defiant Despite Bans

Shou Chew, CEO of TikTok, has stated that the video-hosting app is “here to stay” and has vowed to fight against the ban in the US state of Montana. The Chinese-owned app has been banned by various governments and organisations, with concerns that user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. Chew claims that his company will win its lawsuit against the Montana ban and that some of the app’s users in the US have also filed a separate lawsuit. Chew stated that TikTok has over 150 million users in the US and over a billion worldwide. He added that the app allows for “free expression” and provides a window to discovery. Chew also revealed that his company has built an “unprecedented project” called “Project Texas” to protect the data of its US-based users. The $1.5bn plan relies on contracts with Texas-based tech company Oracle and uses a firewall to seal off protected user data from unauthorised foreign access. Chew warned that no tech company can promise that 100% of its data is safe from all threats.