TikTok CEO testified before Congress

[Blueprint]( TikTok has made ground in our lives with the COVID-19 lockdowns and is still widely used by people of many ages, especially teenagers. However, this hype has brought high scrutiny to the platform due to concerns about data privacy, its ties to China, and worries about its impact on young users. The U.S. government has also expressed concerns about the potential national security risks associated with the short-form video platform. And now, in relation to the U.S. government’s [potential to ban TikTok]( in the country, Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, testified before Congress to address all issues currently coming to the surface. But before we find out more about that, let’s have a look at our [video of the day]( and see how forensic experts use insects to find criminals. Good morning. I’m Mert, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers heard how Chat GPT-4 could change the way we think about AI. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+]( today to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. VIDEO OF THE DAY [use insects to find criminals]( [Watch how forensic experts use insects to find criminals]( The little critters are great detectives. MUST READ [TikTok CEO testifies before Congress to forestall US TikTok ban]( TikTok CEO Shou Chew [testified before Congress]( on Thursday to try and address concerns about the company's data practices and its ties to China as the U.S. government weighs a ban on the app in the United States. Chew told lawmakers that TikTok does not censor content at the behest of the Chinese government and that it stores U.S. user data on servers located on American soil. Lawmakers from both parties expressed skepticism about Chew's testimony. "You have been one of the few people to unite this committee," Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Cali.) told Chew during the hearing. "You remind me a lot of Mark Zuckerberg. When he came here, I said to my staff, ‘He reminds me of Fred Astaire — good dancer with words.’ And you are doing the same today. A lot of your answers are a bit nebulous; they’re not yes or no." → It remains to be seen whether TikTok's efforts will be enough to satisfy lawmakers and regulators. However, the company's testimony before Congress is a sign that it is taking the issue of data privacy seriously. [Read More]( INNOVATION [England legalizes commercial development of gene-edited food]( Gene-edited food can now be commercially developed in England. This technique entails making [precise changes to the DNA of a plant]( or organism to improve specific characteristics such as size. The decision was made following a change in the Precision Breeding Act that covers plants and animals produced through techniques such as gene editing. Prof Gideon Henderson, the chief scientific advisor for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), stated that the new law would improve food production while also bringing job opportunities and investment to England. [Read More]( CULTURE [Twitter to end legacy verified checkmarks once considered a badge of honor]( At the end of next month, previously verified Twitter accounts will lose their verified badges unless they start paying for them. Twitter announced in a tweet that it would "begin winding down [its] legacy verified program and [removing legacy verified checkmarks]( on April 1. It was common knowledge that the company planned to do so. After all, briefly after Twitter Blue first launched in November 2022, company chief Elon Musk said that "far too many corrupt legacy Blue 'verification' checkmarks exist" and that the company is removing them in the coming months. [Read More]( SCIENCE [US restricts UAE’s 'Rashid 2' from boarding China’s mission to Moon]( The United Arab Emirates had planned to [send their "Rashid 2"]( rover as part of the Chang'e 7 mission to the Moon, which is expected to launch in 2026. However, U.S. technology transfer restrictions have prevented this from happening. According to reports, the 1976 International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) have been cited as the reason for the ban. This law prohibits even the most common U.S.-built widgets from being launched aboard Chinese rockets, which would violate the law if the "Rashid 2" rover used U.S.-built components. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Lawmakers from both parties appeared skeptical of TikTok CEO Shou Chew's testimony. Do you think the U.S. government should ban TikTok? [Definitely, it’s a risk to national security]( [No, it’s fun]( [I don’t use TikTok]( [I’m not sure about it]( QUOTE OF THE DAY Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. 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