On August 12, according to foreign media reports, the US President issued an executive order requiring TikTok, the international version of Douyin, to sell its US business to a US company after 45 days. In order to prevent this executive order from taking effect, TikTok is looking for Some influential new lobbyists lobbied.
TikTok is facing increasing pressure in the United States, with US government executives claiming that the company’s location tracking capabilities and processing of American personal information constitute a national security risk. In fact, this is an excuse for the United States to contain the development of Chinese technology companies, and it is also a calculation for President Trump’s anti-China theme to promote his own market for re-election.
In order to reverse the current situation, TikTok hopes to strengthen its Washington office. On August 3, it issued a recruitment announcement for multiple positions in “government affairs”, when the Trump administration was considering whether to ban the application or force TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US business.
TikTok is looking for lobbyists who can influence the decisions of decision makers in Washington . Such lobbyists can establish relationships with politicians and maintain contact with members of Congress. They have a position of advocating for the protection of the TikTok user community and can engage with decision makers. , And can solve problems that may affect the company.
TikTok said that since the beginning of 2020, the size of its US team has tripled. “TikTok will not leave.” TikTok said in a statement, “We are committed to the long-term success of our very dedicated employees. They work every day, making TikTok a unique and exciting place on the Internet. .”
TikTok has been facing continuous suppression from the Trump administration. Most importantly, Trump threatened that if TikTok’s parent company did not sell its US business to a US company before September 15, he would close TikTok. In addition, on August 6, Trump signed two executive orders prohibiting U.S. residents from doing business with TikTok and Tencent’s WeChat app. This executive order will take effect 45 days later.
According to Bloomberg News, Microsoft has been in contact and negotiation with TikTok for the acquisition of TikTok’s business in the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. According to reports, TikTok currently has more than 100 million users in the United States alone.
In fact, before Trump began threatening to ban TikTok, the company was already strengthening its lobbying power. Its parent company Bytedance stated that in the second quarter of 2020, it spent $500,000 on lobbying at the federal level in the United States, which is higher than the $300,000 lobbying fee in the first quarter of 2020 and set a new historical record.
TikTok’s Washington lobbying began last year, when the company hoped to facilitate meetings between company executives and star members of Congress. It hired Michael Beckerman, the former president of the Internet Society’s trade group, to provide policy advice, and David Curban as an external lobbyist. During the 2016 US presidential campaign, Kemble was a senior adviser to the Trump campaign.
In recent months, the company has also hired former House Majority Leader Jim Clyburn’s assistant Michael Hacker, and former Marine Corps liaison officer Albert Albert · Calamug (Albert Calamug) and former Internet Association lobbyist Michael Bloom (Michael Bloom).
According to a recruitment announcement published on the public policy employment website Daybook, TikTok is looking for lobbyists who have “established relationships” and have experience in working with Congress, the administration, and related agencies.
TikTok also hired a director on state government affairs to strengthen contact with specific officials. According to the Daybook list, TikTok posted an advertisement for this position as early as February and July this year. Other positions recruited by TikTok include a communications coordinator, a public policy director, and an intermediary responsibility policy director.
Faced with accusations from Trump and his government, ByteDance denied that TikTok collects data for the Chinese government and stated that all user data of TikTok’s US business is stored in the United States and Singapore, not in China.
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