Two of the Senate's most outspoken critics of Big Tech are seeking information about TikTok's transfer of executives from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to understand how close the two companies are.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-IL) sent a letter to TikTok on Tuesday inquiring about the company's hiring practices at the highest level. ByteDance has transferred several high-profile executives to TikTok since the start of 2023, with several of them holding the leading jobs.
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The transfers have drawn attention in light of the fact that TikTok has sought to convince Congress and U.S. regulators that it maintains separation between its domestic operations and its Chinese parent company.
"The personnel changes give the impression that TikTok is attempting to preserve ByteDance's influence over TikTok while avoiding suspicion," the two senators wrote. "Once again, TikTok's actions appear to align with a pattern of misleading actions and broken commitments regarding serious matters related to users' safety and national security."
TikTok employees previously reported the growing number of staff transfers between ByteDance and TikTok, according to the Wall Street Journal. The previously Beijing-based leaders held roles in TikTok's advertising, human resources, monetization, business and marketing, and product development, and even brought teams from China. Several U.S.-based TikTok employees complained internally that ByteDance held more influence than publicly revealed.
Lawmakers have alleged that TikTok is used to spy on Americans and collect their private data and that the Chinese Communist Party could access it through China's national security laws.
Blackburn and Blumenthal requested additional information about TikTok's hiring practices, personnel changes that occurred while the company was negotiating with the White House, and how it handles monitoring conversations between employees in China and the U.S.
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It's not uncommon for employees to work in different divisions or companies throughout their careers, a TikTok spokesperson claimed.
TikTok has made several efforts to assuage U.S. fears about its ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The company announced Project Texas, which transferred all U.S. data from TikTok to data centers operated by the U.S.-based Oracle data centers. It also returned to the negotiating table with the White House in mid-September to discuss ways to allow it to continue operating within the U.S. without selling the company or having it banned. The White House has pushed ByteDance to sell TikTok, while several bills have been introduced in Congress to outright ban the app in the U.S.