TikTokers have taken to social media to mock the recent congressional hearing against their beloved app. The derogatory comments hurled at lawmakers have sparked outrage among politicians and netizens alike.
In a series of tweets, TikTok users have been calling the politicians "out-of-touch boomers" and criticizing how they're pressing Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of ByteDance-owned TikTok's parent company.
The hashtag #BoomerHearing has been trending on Twitter as young people around the world voice their frustration over what they see as an attack on their freedom of expression. Videos shared online show some users mocking lawmakers for being "embarrassing" them in front of other nations.
Critics argue that this is yet another example of a generation gap where younger generations are misunderstood by older ones. They say that these hearings only serve to highlight how out-of-touch some politicians are with modern trends and technologies.
Many young people believe that it's not fair to blame TikTok or any other social media platform for societal problems like cyberbullying, hate speech, and misinformation. Instead, they argue that users should be held accountable for their actions online just like in real life.
As Congress continues its investigation into whether TikTok poses a national security threat to the US due to potential ties with China's government, tensions between lawmakers and young people continue to simmer. Some analysts predict that if Congress isn't careful about how it approaches social media regulation in the future, there could be even more backlash from younger generations who feel unfairly targeted by new laws or regulations meant to protect them from harm online.