The U.S. government's threat to ban TikTok takes aim at what has become the most popular smartphone app in the country.
Why it matters: TikTok’s scale presents an enormous challenge to lawmakers trying to argue that the app's national security threat outweighs the wishes of the millions of people and businesses that use the app.
Driving the news: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to highlight the app's growth in remarks prepared for his first-ever Congressional testimony on Thursday and released Tuesday night by the House committee he will address.
Be smart: Tuesday's video is part of a broader consumer campaign that the short-video platform is beginning to push amid growing efforts by federal and state governments to limit or ban the app.
Between the lines: TikTok has ramped up its marketing efforts in recent weeks, buying prominent ad space alongside many of D.C.'s most prominent political publications.
The big picture: Surveys indicate that the public remains mostly divided on whether the government should ban TikTok, but Republicans are much more likely to support a ban than Democrats.
Yes, but: Many lawmakers fall somewhat in the middle, arguing that lawmakers need to provide the public with more clarity about the actual national security risks.
What to watch: TikTok's U.S. tech rivals have been waiting in the wings, hoping their TikTok clones — like Reels on both Facebook and Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat's Spotlight — could steal some market share from TikTok if it were banned.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify Rep. Jackson's position on a possible TikTok ban.