What happened: US senators questioned tech giants Facebook and Twitter about their partnerships with Chinese companies, which they say could pose threats to American security. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey were brought before the Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss the companies’ responses to the foreign use of social media to influence US politics. In the discussion, specific mention was made of ZTE and Huawei.
Why it’s important: The news follows broader concerns about the operations of Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE within the US, but also how American companies are sharing data with their Chinese counterparts. In June, Facebook said that its partnerships with Chinese telecoms had allowed some of the country’s companies to access the private data of Facebook users. US lawmakers are increasingly worried about the relationship between Chinese firms and the country’s government, citing national security concerns.