Buddy Carter
03/24/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/24/2023 12:26
WATCH: Carter skewers TikTok over its failure to protect children’s online safety
During Thursday's Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing where TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified about his popular social media app, which is partly owned by the Chinese Communist Party and poses a grave threat to both children's health and national security, Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) spoke boldly in defense of our nation's youth.
In case you missed it, here are the highlights:
ON THE ADDICTIVE, DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF TIKTOK
"TikTok is the most addictive platform out there, and the reason that we have been told is that it has the most advanced algorithm. And the Chinese Communist Party knows this…
"There are those on the Committee, including myself, who believe that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in psychological warfare through TikTok to deliberately influence U.S. children."
ON CHILDREN'S ONLINE SAFETY
"We're talking about children dying. Do you know how many children have died because of this? Do you have any idea?...
"Tell me the number of U.S. children who have died because of [TikTok] challenges."
ON THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY'S USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
"I want to know why TikTok is not moderating this kind of [dangerous] content. Why are they not paying attention to it? They're certainly doing it on their version, the Chinese version of TikTok, but they're not doing it on the U.S. version.
"Listen, there's no question in my mind that this is psychological warfare...by the Chinese Communist Party and it's being leveled against American children."
ON SECTION 230
"There are other apps that need to be cleaned up, that's why we've got to address [Section] 230, and we are going to address 230...the difference between TikTok and these other apps is that TikTok is owned by the Chinese Communist Party."
ON ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS TIKTOK CONTENT
"They're not moderating the content, the illegal and the dangerous content that is on this platform. You see the milk crate challenge, you see the blackout challenge, all of these things are dangerous.
"They do moderate it on the Chinese version of TikTok but they don't on the American version - why is that? That's one question I want the CEO to answer."