We're ending our live page coverage of today's Congressional hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

Later on we'll have the thoughts of North America technology correspondent James Clayton. In the meantime, here's our videos of Shou Zi Chew being grilled by US politicians and here's where he tells them about the popularity of the app with Americans.

Today's writers were Aoife Walsh, Malu Cursino, Adam Durbin, Thomas Mackintosh, Madeline Halpert and Nadine Yousif. The editors were Marianna Brady and Holly Honderich in Washington with Rob Corp assisting from London.

Image source, Getty Images

We knew Shou Zi Chew would be facing a grilling. More than four hours later, it's fair to say the overwhelming sentiment from US lawmakers is fairly negative towards TikTok and its boss.

So what have we learned? A lot of ground was covered, but here are some of the key points:

• Links between Chew, TikTok and the platform's China-owned parent company - ByteDance - have been at the forefront of questions from committee members, with Chew continuously distancing himself from the company and the Chinese Communist Party
• US lawmakers have emphasised harmful content to children and the spread of misinformation on the platform

• Self-harm and how the platform regulates what can, and cannot, be seen by users was addressed multiple times
• Congressman Gus Bilirakis played footage on TikTok relating to suicide, and referred to a boy from New York who took his own life - whose family was present and Bilirakis seems to suggest the boy was driven to self-harm by content he saw on the platform
• In TikTok's defence, Chew emphasised industry norms and that safety and content regulation is an issue faced by all social media platforms. He said TikTok does its best to monitor and remove harmful content
• US lawmakers also expressed concerns about the privacy of users' data on TikTok, with some saying they are concerned that the Chinese government could have access to that data
• Chew tried to reassure lawmakers that users' data is secure. He referenced TikTok's Project Texas numerous times, an initiative that will eventually lead to all US user data being stored solely in a facility in America. Chew says this project will guarantee that US citizen's data will be secure in the future - once it's fully up and running
• Chew tried to reassure lawmakers about concerns they expressed on code being written (and manipulated) outside the US, saying that even if it written elsewhere, it will be examined by US-based engineers
• The TikTok CEO repeatedly tried to defend himself and his company without success, as lawmakers barely allowed him to speak

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter in London

One other key theme I came across was the focus on data privacy.

Several Congress members said they feel they have more questions than they do answers even after all those hours of quizzing Shou Zi Chew.

Infact, Californian Congressman Jay Obernolte - also a software engineer and who yielded a lot of time off of his colleagues - expressed his concern the proposed Project Texas was too large an undertaking.

He told the hearing: “I am concerned that what you’re proposing with Project Texas just doesn’t have the technical capability of providing us the assurances that we need."

Chew told Congress TikTok doesn't sell to data brokers and does not collect precise GPS location data nor does it gather health data.

In fact, at one moment Chew swiped back at US-based tech firms saying: "I think we need to address the problem of privacy.

"With all due respect, American companies don't have a great track record with data.

"Just look at Facebook and Cambridge Analytica."

We certainly heard a lot about data privacy, but any key learning points feel as if they are a while away.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter in London

At one point in the hearing, Chew was asked by Congresswoman Nanette Barragán whether or not his own children used TikTok.

He said they didn't because they live in Singapore and in that country the version of the app for children younger than 13 is not available.

Chew said that the children’s version of the app is available in the US and he would let his children use it if they were here.

But, repeatedly Chew kept saying that privacy and issues around children's safety are not unique to TikTok.

He insists his organisation is not perfect and that he striving to be better by investing more money and resources - although we didn't get much of a figure.

James Clayton
North America technology reporter

Image source, Getty Images

If it wasn’t clear before to Mr Chew about the uphill battle he faces in the US, it will be now.

Chew’s strategy was to convince lawmakers that TikTok is a distinct entity from Chinese owned ByteDance.

That was a misjudgement. ByteDance owns TikTok, and arguing otherwise is counter-productive.

And Chew didn’t want to say whether he owned shares in ByteDance initially, though when pushed he eventually said he did. Trying to downplay the connection didn’t work, and made him look shifty.

He also lacked any kind of meaningful counter punch.

There is a lack of evidence that TikTok passes evidence to the Chinese Communist Party. Chew could have pushed back when asked about this: “What evidence are you referring to?” he could have said.

Instead, it felt like too much of his testimony was spent on the back foot.

Having said that, there were no spectacular blunders by Chew.

But legislators will feel emboldened after this. There is clearly a huge caucus of US politicians that are not satisfied with TikTok, and weren’t thrilled by his answers today.

Marianna Spring
Disinformation and social media correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Lots of questions at today's hearing have focused on TikTok's powerful and personalised algoirthm. Specifically, how much TikTok knows about its users in order to figure out so effectively what we might want to watch.

CEO Shou Zi Chew was quick to highlight examples of where the social media company tackles harmful content en masse, like banning videos using some hashtags linked to hateful ideologies.

But there are questions over how it deals with unanticipated situations unfolding in real-time, where frenzies arise as the algorithm pushes its young user base towards potentially harmful content.

Recently in the UK, TikTok sleuths descended on the village of missing 45-year-old Nicola Bulley, distressing the local community and her loved ones.

TikTok has told me it is "deploying additional resources to reduce the potential spread of conspiratorial content about unfolding events” by making sure it couldn’t be recommended on the For You Page.

TikTok’s algorithm is tied up with disinformation and harassment policymakers are concerned about. It’s also that algorithm that is also the selling point for TikTok. It keeps millions hooked.

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter in London

If you followed today's hearing as closely as I have - you will have noticed that one initiative which kept coming up time and time again was Project Texas.

So what is it?

• It is an initiative, proposed by TikTok, that would calm US national security concerns. TikTok calls it a firewall, that protects US data.
• The project involves restructuring TikTok so American user data is stored with software company Oracle in Texas.
• It will cost at least $1.5bn (£1.22)
• TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew hopes to have all of the data transferred by the end of the year
• But, until then, Beijing engineers working for TikTok's parent company Bytedance would still have access to data
• Chew repeatedly told Congress that Project Texas would mean "American data is on American soil and overseen by an American company"
• TikTok proposes this subsidiary would be subject to government scrutiny, suggesting a US government-approved auditor could keep an eye its systems

After many hours of grilling, the hearing is over with a brief statement from committee chair Cathy Rodgers.

We'll be bringing you key takeaways and analysis shortly.

Image source, Getty Images

We're nearing the end. Chair Cathy Rodgers just said that only a few members have questions to ask as she thanks Chew for his time.

But first, Congressman Morgan Griffith is up for questioning, asking Chew if he has stocks in TikTok parent company ByteDance.

“Do you own shares in them?" Griffith says.

"Yes I do," Chew replies.

Image source, Getty Images

Iowa lawmaker Mariannette Miller-Meeks underscores that US politicians in both parties have "valid concerns" about the way TikTok operates.

She asks Chew if TikTok tracks users' individual keystrokes. Chew responds that TikTok doesn't go beyond common industry practices - something he has said a lot today - with respect to data keeping, and only monitors keystrokes for security purposes, like flagging bots.

Miller-Meeks then asks Chew: "Why would the Chinese Communist party be opposed to a sale of TikTok?"

Chew responds: "I cannot speak on behalf of the Chinese government."

Miller-Meeks concludes by saying that China's opposition to a sale of TikTok's US arm raises suspicions for lawmakers.

In a heated exchange between Texas lawmaker August Pfluger and Chew, Pfluger asks if TikTok is a platform for good.

Chew responds with a firm "yes".

He then asks if Chew supports the First Amendment, which projects freedom of speech. Again, Chew says yes.

Pfluger then asks Chew if Tik Tok supports genocide, and Chew responds "no".

It is the latest in questions faced by Chew on China's human rights record and allegations against China of carrying out a genocide against its Uyghur population.

Chew appears to be getting increasingly frustrated.

"I am not sure I am understanding all these questions," he said.

Moving onto California Congressman Scott Peters, who says his biggest concern is whether China's government needs to approve TikTok's initiative called Project Texas.

Project Texas is the code name for the security proposal that TikTok has submitted to the White House in the firm's effort to continue operating in the US. The proposal is meant to calm national security concerns and, the firm hopes, avoid a nationwide ban.

Responding to questions just now, Chew reiterates an answer from earlier, saying that "American data will be stored on American soil and overseen by American company".

Peters asks: "Does China need to oversee it [Project Texas]?"

"I do not believe so," Chew replies.

Michelle Fleury
Reporting from Congress

TikTok’s chief executive Shou Zi Chew isn’t just facing a hostile Congress.

Near the Capitol, a group wearing black "Ban TikTok" t-shirts walked by me.

Privacy issues are top of their list of concerns. Along with the idea that TikTok’s Chinese ownership makes it untrustworthy.

While it was hard to find any TikTok boosters in the hearing room, the app wasn’t totally outmatched.

With the firm's troubles growing, yesterday it brought a group of influencers to Washington to try to woo lawmakers. We'll see if it helps.

Image source, BBC News

Up next is Congresswoman Angie Craig, who tells Chew he's been talking a lot about safety with not much to show for it.

TikTok has taken little action to stop posts promoting illicit drug use, she says. "What are you doing to move past these token efforts to stop teenagers accessing drugs?"

Chew responds much like he has all day: TikTok takes the problem "very seriously" he says.

"We will continue to work on it. No company is perfect."

A dismissive Craig responds that that his "no company is perfect" line has been used too much today.

Congressman Russ Fulcher says what a lot of us are thinking: today feels like a long day, and yet not a lot of questions have been answered. Ironically, he doesn't ask one of Chew himself.

But, in a rare move this afternoon he compliments Chew on having a product and a tool that are doing well.

"No question this has value," he says.

But the praise ends here.

TikTok "acts like Big Brother", Fulcher says. "And this has got to stop".

Picking up questions after the break, Democrat Raul Ruiz has just presented Shou Chew with examples of dozens of videos containing misinformation about the Covid vaccine and other health subjects which have received tens of millions of views.

Ruiz, a doctor and politician, asks TikTok's CEO "why are these dangerous videos falling through the cracks"?

Chew says the company partners with third party experts to develop policies to remove content with their advice.

A confrontational Ruiz responds by saying "your efforts have failed and they're dangerous", adding TikTok was putting millions of people's health and lives at risk by "being unable to do your job".

He also tells Chew he thinks TikTok's design makes people particularly vulnerable to medical misinformation, which can then spread rapidly through the platform.

Chew repeats his statement that TikTok works with third party experts and TikTok removes all dangerous content containing misinformation.

After a short break, US lawmakers have returned to resume their grilling of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

How’s he doing?published at 18:17 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2023

18:17 GMT 23 March 2023

James Clayton
North America technology reporter

Image source, Reu

There are often “moments” in these hearings.

Mark Zuckerberg's famous US Senate hearing in 2018 is often remembered for one brilliant question from Senator Richard Durbin.

"Mr Zuckerberg, would you be comfortable sharing with us which hotel you stayed in last night?" he said.

The Facebook boss looked visibly uncomfortable before saying "no".

"I think that might be what this is all about…your right to privacy," the senator replied.

I’ve yet to hear a similar moment today.

Shou Chew is playing it safe. He often reverts to phrases like “industry standards” when answering questions on what data it scrapes.

“I don’t agree with the characterisation of the question” is another go-to line when asked something difficult.

That is a perfectly fine strategy for avoiding embarrassing answers.

But, as many of members of Congress have noted, it can also come across as evasive.

It has been a perfectly decent performance so far. But I doubt anyone watching this, who were worried about TikTok, would have had their minds changed by this testimony.

We'll get a few minutes to pause, take stock, and stretch our legs as the committee goes into recess (it's only the second time in almost four hours of questioning that they've had a break).

This gives us a chance to go back and look at what we've learned so far today.

Republican Troy Balderson opens his questioning by telling TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew that his firm has been responsible for delivering harmful content to children, including posts encouraging eating disorders and suicide.

He asks Chew, why should the responsibility be on parents to set up the app to protect their children, rather than the company?

Chew repeats that TikTok has a "differentiated experience" for teenagers which parents can use to protect them.

He adds that he takes the issue "extremely seriously" and all harmful content, especially to do with eating disorders, are removed from their platform.