Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, admitted to Mariannette Miller–Meeks that the Chinese app tracked users’ keystrokes at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on Wednesday.

Rep. Mariannette Miller–Meeks (R–IA) asked if TikTok tracks users’ keystrokes. To which Chew replied, “Only security purposes like detecting bots.”

Miller-Meeks asked Chew for clarification that keystrokes were only monitored for security purposes. The TikTok CEO stated that he could get back to him on specifics. He then deflected by saying that other companies act in a similar manner.

Keith Krach, a former Trump official, stated that TikTok can track keystrokes in a recent interview with GMA3 – What You Need To Know.

Krach stated that they have access “to your passwords, all of your data, to your bank records, to your health records, to your bank records, and they have access your geopolitical or geospatial information.” This means they can track you where you are, what you’ve done, and where your future plans are.

He said, “Imagine it as a digital disease.” “And this is the only cure; the only vaccine against it is a total ban.”

While some might agree with Chew’s assertion that U.S. social-media companies engage in similar behavior to TikTok users, the difference is that U.S. businesses can be held accountable under U.S. laws. This includes action by Congress and regulators. TikTok is not able to do the same.

Chew also stated that “spying” is not the right term to describe the alleged Chinese surveillance by Americans through his company’s social-media platform.