美国国家公共电台 NPR--Tiktok's lobbying tops $5.4M in 2022 as it brings its charm offensive to Congress

Tiktok's lobbying tops $5.4M in 2022 as it brings its charm offensive to Congress

Transcript¹

TikTok's CEO plans to tell the committee that it is working to protect U.S. users' data from Chinese government scrutiny². TikTok is pouring millions into lobbying to ease national security worries.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The chief executive of TikTok is expected to tell lawmakers in Washington tomorrow that the Chinese-owned company has put guardrails around the personal data belonging to American users. The prepared testimony³ from Shou Zi Chew will lay out a plan for Texas-based software company Oracle⁴ to store and oversee⁵ the storage of that information. Faced with President Biden's demand that the company be sold or banned in the U.S., TikTok is also pouring millions into shifting the narrative⁶ away from national security concerns. NPR's Dara Kerr reports.

DARA KERR, BYLINE⁷: TikTok is holding a press conference featuring influencers who have popular accounts, like Back in the Kitchen with Bae. Other TikTok creators, like Ashley Capps, who lives in Florida, are taking action online during Thursday's congressional hearing.

ASHLEY CAPPS: I will be livestreaming it, funnily enough, on my TikTok.

KERR: Capps' livelihood⁸ depends on TikTok. It's how she gets clients for her business, where she teaches people skills like gardening and document research. She opposes a TikTok ban.

CAPPS: I'm not even a fan of using the term ban because I just want to be snarky. I'm like, well, yeah, they banned drugs, and we all see how that happened.

KERR: TikTok spokesperson Jamal Brown told NPR that lawmakers should hear firsthand from people whose lives would be directly affected⁹. The company says it has 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. TikTok has amped up its lobbying efforts. It spent 5.4 million on lobbying last year. That's in the same ballpark as Google and Facebook.

SARAH BRYNER: In 2019, they spent essentially¹⁰ pennies on lobbying activity. And now they have spent the fourth most of any tech company lobbying Congress.

KERR: Sarah Bryner is the research director at OpenSecrets, which is a nonprofit that tracks lobbying spending.

BRYNER: Nothing spurs lobbying activity like the threat of being regulated.

KERR: And now there are a lot of eyes on TikTok.

Dara Kerr, NPR News.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

3 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

4 oracle   

n.神谕，神谕处，预言

参考例句：

• In times of difficulty,she pray for an oracle to guide her.在困难的时候，她祈祷神谕来指引她。
• It is a kind of oracle that often foretells things most important.它是一种内生性神谕，常常能预言最重要的事情。

5 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

6 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。