Daniel Webster
04/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/15/2024 16:59
Webster Joins Colleagues in Requesting Information Regarding CCP-Linked Tutoring Service
Washington, D.C. -
Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, along with U.S. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI), and 11 of his House colleagues, recently requested information from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona regarding Tutor.com, an online tutoring service used in K-12 schools across the country, and its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).In 2022, Chinese-owned Primavera Capital Group purchased Tutor.com, a tutoring service that has contracts with the Department of Defense to provide free services to United States military service members and their families which is also being used in school districts in at least 25 states, including Florida. According to the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of China, any entity that is based in China is obligated to share information with Beijing if requested to do so. Recognizing that Tutor.com collects sensitive data on its users including names, locations, and recordings of tutoring sessions and that its owner, Primavera Capital Group, is both Chinese-owned and has a known relationship with ByteDance, this poses a significant national security risk to the American people."This connection raises serious questions about data privacy, security protocols, and the potential exploitation of sensitive information," the members wrote. "Given the proven national security threat posed by Chinese technology companies and their handling of user data, it is crucial that we thoroughly evaluate the implications of this partnership, particularly in the context of student privacy."Members requested answers to questions regarding what the Department of Education is doing to assess the potential national security risks associated with Tutor.com and if the Department has engaged in communication with Tutor.com or Primavera Capital Group to address these concerns.Co-signers of the letter include Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Aaron Bean (R-FL), and Troy Nehls (R-TX).Read the full letter text here.
Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, along with U.S. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI), and 11 of his House colleagues, recently requested information from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona regarding Tutor.com, an online tutoring service used in K-12 schools across the country, and its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).In 2022, Chinese-owned Primavera Capital Group purchased Tutor.com, a tutoring service that has contracts with the Department of Defense to provide free services to United States military service members and their families which is also being used in school districts in at least 25 states, including Florida. According to the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of China, any entity that is based in China is obligated to share information with Beijing if requested to do so. Recognizing that Tutor.com collects sensitive data on its users including names, locations, and recordings of tutoring sessions and that its owner, Primavera Capital Group, is both Chinese-owned and has a known relationship with ByteDance, this poses a significant national security risk to the American people."This connection raises serious questions about data privacy, security protocols, and the potential exploitation of sensitive information," the members wrote. "Given the proven national security threat posed by Chinese technology companies and their handling of user data, it is crucial that we thoroughly evaluate the implications of this partnership, particularly in the context of student privacy."Members requested answers to questions regarding what the Department of Education is doing to assess the potential national security risks associated with Tutor.com and if the Department has engaged in communication with Tutor.com or Primavera Capital Group to address these concerns.Co-signers of the letter include Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Aaron Bean (R-FL), and Troy Nehls (R-TX).Read the full letter text here.
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