Short video app TikTok on Monday said it currently has 150 million monthly active users in the US, up from 100 million in 2020.
The Chinese-owned app confirmed the numbers ahead of TikTok CEO Xu Ziqiu’s scheduled presentation Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Last Friday, six other US senators approved bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden new powers to ban TikTok for national security reasons. Last week, TikTok said the Biden administration had demanded that the app’s Chinese owners give up their stake in the app or face a US ban.
The app is facing mounting pressure from President Joe Biden’s administration and lawmakers, including calls to ban the app from many in Congress who fear US user data could fall into the hands of the Chinese government. TikTok said it had more than 1 billion monthly users worldwide in September 2021.
TikTok has said it has spent more than $1.5 billion on aggressive data protection efforts and has denied allegations of espionage. “If the goal is to protect national security, deaccessioning does not solve the problem. A change in ownership does not impose new restrictions on data flow or access,” it said.
The new numbers are a sign of the app’s widespread popularity, especially among young Americans. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Bloomberg News that there could be political changes in banning TikTok.
“The politician in me thinks we’re going to lose all the under-35 voters forever,” he added.
“Creator. Award-winning problem solver. Music evangelist. Incurable introvert.”
