5 quotes from TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi’s Ted Talk interview

At the Ted2023 conference, the Singaporean CEO shed light on one of the world’s biggest social media apps

A little more than a month after his US congressional hearing, TikTok’s CEO, Chew Shou Zi, has returned to the spotlight. Making his first public appearance since the widely publicised hearing, the head of the popular social media app spoke at the Ted2023 conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 20.

Themed “Possibility”, the Ted2023 conference—held from April 17 to 21—saw multiple discussions between “visionary thinkers” on “a strange and beautiful space called the adjacent possible”. Chew was one of the many leaders who spoke during the five-day affair.

Led by the curator of Ted Talks, Chris Anderson, the one-on-one discussion saw Chew shedding light on the trend-setting app and how it has affected its consumers.

Below, we share five insights on the Singaporean CEO’s latest Ted2023 talk.

1. On the birth of TikTok

Above Chew shares about the ‘birth’ of the app (Photo: TED YouTube)

In the discussion, Chew reminisced about how the social media app came to be, almost 10 years ago. “I had met with two engineers who were building a product and the idea behind this was to build something that recommended content to people not based on who they knew… but what they like," the CEO explains.

He continued by sharing how he still feels the same level of excitement running this company today as compared to when it first started.

2. On how TikTok’s algorithm has helped people find communities

Above He shares how the app’s recommendation algorithm has helped people find communities (Photo: TED YouTube)

As the company’s vision is to provide people with a “window to discover”, Chew explains that over the years, he has realised how much the app has affected people’s lives. “I’ve heard so many stories of people who have found their communities because of the content that they’re posting,” he says. The CEO further explains how the platform has given many people and small businesses a voice—one which they would otherwise never have.

3. On the importance of safety guidelines on social media

Above He highlights the importance of safety guidelines (Photo: TED YouTube)

With the number of users on the platform, Chew emphasised the importance of safety guidelines that have been put in place for teenagers and viewers under 13. He explains: “Every single piece of content is vetted by our third-party child safety expert and we don’t allow any under 13 in the US to publish and post.”

“If you are below a certain age, we remove mature themed content from your feed On… we take safety extremely seriously and continue to prioritise that,” he continues.

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4. On how TikTok prioritises transparency

Above He sheds light on how the app prioritises transparency and third-party monitoring (Photo: TED YouTube)

Chew tells Anderson that TikTok allows third-party reviewers to review the company’s source code. “By allowing someone else to review the source code is to give … people access to monitor us,” the businessman explains. Transparency will help build trust between the company and its consumers.

5. On his vision for TikTok

Above He shares his vision for the company in the long run (Photo: TED YouTube)

Apart from being a platform where people are “dancing and singing”, Chew hopes TikTok will continue to strive to be a “benefit to the world”. He adds: “I think that there is a huge opportunity here on discovery and giving the everyday person a voice.”

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Topics

Chew Shou Zi TikTok Ted2023 Ted Talk Social media

Tatler Asia

5 highlights from TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi’s Ted Talk interview

1. On the birth of TikTok

2. On how TikTok’s algorithm has helped people find communities

3. On the importance of safety guidelines on social media

4. On how TikTok prioritises transparency

5. On his vision for TikTok