TL/DR –
US Senator Tom Cotton has faced criticism for questioning TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s citizenship and potential links to the Chinese Communist Party during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety online. Chew, who is Singaporean, denied any such affiliations. The exchange sparked backlash on social media, with commentators accusing Cotton of racism and Sinophobia.
Sen. Tom Cotton Under Fire for Questioning TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s Citizenship
Sen. Tom Cotton is facing backlash for his aggressive questioning of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on his citizenship and his alleged affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party. This took place during a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety online.
The hearing also featured Meta, X, Discord and Snap CEOs, as lawmakers grapple with regulating social media platforms. Questions regarding Chew’s nationality sparked significant response online.
“Are you a member of the Chinese Communist Party?” Cotton questioned. Chew, a Singaporean resident, responded, “No, Senator. I’m Singaporean!”
Unfazed, Cotton further interrogated Chew about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. “You described it as a ‘massive protest.’ Did anything else happen?” Cotton asked. Chew replied, “Yes, there was a massacre.”
Social media users quickly reacted, criticizing Cotton’s line of questioning as Sinophobic and racist. Digital media consultant Heidi Moore tweeted, “Tom Cotton can’t tell Asians apart even when they tell him.”
The AAPI Victory Fund, a political action committee supporting Asian American candidates, also called Cotton’s questioning “disgraceful, blatantly racist, and deeply racist.”
Cotton defended his comments on Fox News, asserting that questioning potential influence from the Chinese Communist Party was reasonable. His office has not commented further.
Cotton, known for his hard-line stances on issues like immigration, backed former President Donald Trump’s border policies. During the hearing, CEOs were also questioned about their stance on legislation addressing teen content moderation and the sale of illicit drugs.
The Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, issued a personal apology to families who blame social media for their children’s suicides. Chew was previously questioned by senators at a hearing last March that focused on TikTok’s data use and child protection measures.
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