After TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was questioned by the House Committee on Commerce and Energy on Thursday, users of the platform shared their support the way they know best: through thirsty fan edits.
Several representatives filed complaints from their constituents lamenting TikTok’s negative influence, but Chew insisted that most users have positive experiences on the app. Users made videos stating this and criticizing lawmakers for their lack of tech savvy and unfair questioning.
Some took their love a step further by creating fan edits of the CEO, perhaps one of the highest forms of recognition among TikTok users. They combined the videos with captions praising his testimony.
«Can we talk about how hard you’re working for us to get around the ban,» the photo’s caption read. a popular edition with 1.3 million visits.
«If TikTok is bad, why is it good?» another user said in a video about chewing.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
in a Tik Tok Posted Friday morning, Chew thanked users for their support and reiterated the app’s commitment to protecting the 150 million Americans who use the platform. He doubled down on TikTok’s efforts to protect teens, store American data on American soil, maintain free speech on the platform, and use third parties to ensure transparency.
Chew faced skepticism from the committee when he tried to address members’ concerns about data privacy, child protection and TikTok’s connection to the Chinese Communist Party. Despite his best efforts, committee members continually cut off their responses and expressed their discontent.
According to Chew’s update after the hearing, users continued to share their love for the app and their anger towards the committee. The video had more than 40,000 comments as of Friday morning, most of them positive.
«You were amazing. I am so disappointed in our government. You deserve better, we deserve better,» one person wrote.
“We are sorry that our Congress is disgraceful. We love you and TikTok,” said another.
«I love this app. I have learned a lot of interesting and useful things about other cultures,» one user commented.
Gen Z activists previously said a TikTok ban would be «a slap in the face» for young voters. A recent poll also found that Gen Z opposes a TikTok ban by a 53% to 34% margin.