TikTok CEO Shou Chew will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee today, in what is expected to be an explosive showdown between the social media executive and House members seeking to ban the app.
TikTok, which has 1 billion users globally, is massively popular in the U.S., especially among teens. The app now attracts 150 million monthly active American users, Chew said in a statement ahead of his appearance, and that number is only growing.
But as TikTok has grown, so have concerns in Washington about the company's roots in China and parent company, the Beijing-based ByteDance. Lawmakers fear TikTok is a national security threat and that the Chinese government could use the app's data to spy on Americans and spread pro-Beijing propaganda.
The hearing, which you can watch on Yahoo Finance, is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. EDT. We'll regularly update this post with key details of the event.
Before that, though. You'll want to familiarize yourself with the major political players involved, and the laws Congress is pushing to ban the app in the U.S.
6 lawmakers to watch during today’s marathon hearing
One of the only sure bets during today’s hearing is that it will be a long one, with each of the 52 lawmakers on the committee being allotted 5 minutes for questions. In case you don't have all day to sit and watch TV, here are 6 lawmakers in particular to tune in for.
The Leaders: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
The tone of the day will be set with opening statements and then questions from the two leaders of the panel. Rep. McMorris Rodgers is one in particular to watch — She has already endorsed a ban on TikTok, and her aides have said to watch for aggressive questioning.
Silicon Valley’s Congresswoman: Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
If you are looking for a conversation between Chew and someone who has spoken with a lot of tech CEOs before, watch out for Rep. Eshoo. She is the second-ranking Democrat and represents a big chunk of Silicon Valley — including Mountain View and Palo Alto — and also co-founded the Congressional Internet Caucus all the way back in 1996.
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The Trump Loyalist: Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)
The conservative Republican is Vice Chair of the committee’s Communications and Technology group and told Yahoo Finance in a statement this week he’ll be calling for a ban today and that, “National security and mental health are more important than social media, no matter how popular the app may be.”
The Midwesterner: Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
She isn’t likely to get to ask her questions until a couple hours in, but the Michigan congresswoman isn’t afraid to mix it up—as witnessed during the now infamous shouting match on the Capitol Steps. She told Yahoo Finance that she plans to use the hearing as “another step in our effort to develop a national data privacy law and to hold big tech accountable.”
The Techie: Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA)
He won't go until the hearing is almost complete but Rep. Obernolte is another member who should be able to keep up with Mr. Chew. He is a former computer engineer and video game developer, and he has a graduate degree in artificial intelligence. Look for him to lean into some of the technical aspects of TikTok’s platform from how they protect data to how the secretive algorithm works.
Catch up quick: The 4 bills currently on the table to ban TikTok
There are currently four main pieces of legislation on the table that would move the U.S. toward a ban on TikTok. They differ on a few details but are in agreement on the main idea: TikTok needs to go.
Perhaps the most prominent effort is called the RESTRICT Act, and it’s being led by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD). Their approach wouldn’t ban TikTok immediately but would instead give the Biden administration the clear authority to do so.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 22: Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) speaks at a press conference with Reps. Bowman, Pocan, Garcia, and TikTok creators at the U.S. Capitol in support of free expression on March 22, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for TikTok)
A similar approach advanced in the House earlier this month sponsored by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX) that also gives the president new powers to impose a ban after then-President Trump made moves in 2020 to prohibit the app but was blocked by the courts.
A second way of thinking is to ban TikTok immediately. That’s the approach Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Reps Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) have taken in their bill. “TikTok is digital fentanyl,” Gallagher has said while trying to sell the effort. Yet another bill that also aims to place an immediate ban is being led by Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
Interestingly, none of the above lawmakers will be sitting across from TikTok's Shou Chew today. But something to watch is whether those who do get time with the CEO align themselves with any approach in particular. For example, Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) has called for a ban but hasn’t yet endorsed any particular approach to get there.
Allie Garfinkle is a Senior Tech Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @agarfinks and on LinkedIn.
Ben Werschkul is Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.
Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.
Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. Follow him @DanielHowley

This data comes from MediaIntel.Asia's Media Intelligence and Media Monitoring Platform.