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Armed with influencers and lobbyists, TikTok goes on the offense on Capitol Hill

TikTok's top executive will have to defend the app against allegations it shares U.S. users data with the Chinese government at a Thursday hearing, as the government weighs limiting or banning it.
The social media application logo, TikTok is displayed on the screen of an iPhone on an American flag background. With the TikTok CEO set to testify on Capitol Hill on Thursday, influencers and lobbyists are pressing the government not to ban the app.
Updated March 22, 2023 at 2:57 PM ET

TikTok is fighting to justify its existence in the U.S. And it's pulling out all the stops in Washington, D.C., this week in the hopes of proving the government shouldn't ban the app.

Dozens of TikTok creators and influencers will gather on Capitol Hill on Wednesday evening to talk about how the app is central to their livelihoods and communities. Creators of popular accounts like "Back in the Kitchen with Bae," "Sparks of Joy"

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