The congressional hearings over the specter of a potential ban on TikTok in the United States created some memorable moments, but none more memorable than the following ten “craziest” moments.
1. Representative Jim Baird questioning whether the potential ban would have any impact on the distribution of a video President Trump had shared.
2. Representative Joe Heck trying to explain the popularity of TikTok to Committee Chairwoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, only to be interrupted by Acting CISA Director Bryan Ware and his staff.
3. Representative Robert Aderholt’s statement that “we don’t need our enemies to give us enemies; we already have them.”
4. Representative Pramila Jayapal pushing back against CISA Director Ware regarding the potential for a ban, refusing to let him paint a “doom and gloom” picture of the consequences of a ban.
5. Even though the hearing covered the potential TikTok ban, the question of how individuals can protect their data from being sold to third parties came up.
6. Representative Mike Johnson peppering lawyers and software engineers with technical questions as they attempted to explain the potential implications of a ban.
7. Representative Ocasio-Cortez questioning CEO of Oracle Safra Catz and trying to get a straight answer regarding the effectiveness of the company’s security and data protection on TikTok, only to be met with silence.
8. Representative A. Donald McEachin repeatedly questioning Catz regarding Oracle’s security protocols, leading to a heated back-and-forth.
9. Representative Jan Schakowsky questioning the potential dangers of a TikTok ban, and asking if it would be a bigger danger than the one represented by the activities of authoritarian regimes.
10. Representatives Jeff Van Drew and Jason Crow arguing that a ban on TikTok may be necessary, but that securing users’ data is paramount.
The congressional hearings over the potential TikTok ban certainly had its fair share of entertaining moments, many of which remain unforgettable even today. The collective “craziest” moments from the hearing not only provide us with a snapshot of the debates regarding the potential ban of the popular app, but also the level of complexity behind the decision.
