US lawmakers are trying to ban TikTok.
So, naturally, the app's users have responded with memes and thirst traps.
TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew faced a US House committee on March 23, where he was grilled by both parties about data security and safety concerns.
His appearance at the hearing has since gone viral on — you guessed it — TikTok, where he's now known as 'daddy' or 'oppa' Shou.
Confused? We'll break it down for you.
Wait, there was a TikTok hearing?
TikTok has 150 million American users, but is under increasing pressure from the government. The Biden administration are keen to either ban the app, or to force its Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell it.
TikTok's specialised algorithm — which curates content the user will enjoy — is one of the concerns, with lawmakers questioning how this data is collected and used.
They're also worried about the type of content being served up via the algorithm, and its influence over teens and children.
While companies like Meta (Facebook) and Google have been under fire for similar concerns around data collection and influencing elections, the crux of the government's concerns is that TikTok is primarily owned by a Chinese company.
The first wave: Shou Zi Chew as an eloquent leader
Crystal Abidin is a professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University and the founder of the TikTok Cultures Research Network.
She says the clips that went viral from Thursday's hearing have focused on "how ill-equipped and unprepared the Congressmen were".
Viral snippets included politicians asking if TikTok can connect "to the home wifi network" or if its algorithm works by monitoring pupil dilation through the phone's camera.
Dr Crystal says lawmakers appeared aggressive, condescending and xenophobic towards TikTok's CEO, and implied the Singaporean-born Mr Chew represented China.
"There were lines of questioning about his specific political affiliations," she points out — including his thoughts on China's treatment of its Uyghur population.
"When he was just there to brief people about the app in his capacity as CEO. So that was frustrating," Dr Crystal says.
By comparison, Mr Chew was praised for remaining composed and professional.
"The first wave of virality, in the first 12 hours, focused on how intellectual and clever and incisive his answers were.
"When they did focus on his personhood they were zooming into his body language, facial expressions and how calm and professional his decorum was, even though the questions were ridiculous."
The second wave: Daddy Shou Zi Chew and meme Congress
It didn't take long — maybe around 13 hours — for the thirst traps (known as 'edits' on the app) to start.
"Most of the viral hits now related to the hashtags around the congressional hearing are very similar to K-pop fan tributes idolising this man," Dr Crystal says.
As well as daddy or zaddy, Mr Chew's also being referred to as oppa, a Korean word for "older brother" or friend, which can also be used to flirt with older men.
Dr Crystal says it's disappointing that Mr Chew is being likened to "a K-pop star, just because he's Asian", and that it's important to address the "sexualisation and Orientalism happening".
However, she notes that when "discourse that's as important as this [is transformed] into a pop culture vehicle, it's easier for people to talk about the issue".
TikTok's also been filled with parodies mocking the hearing, transforming some of the key moments and themes into fun, digestible content.
"Humour is a way to lubricate people's interest in a topic; meme culture is one of the ways we get difficult issues to travel far and wide," Dr Crystal says.
"Some of the most politically successful social movements on the internet travel through memes and viral trends."
What's next?
US lawmakers are reportedly moving forward with their attempts to ban TikTok — so will the app's users fight back?
Dr Crystal says the internet, including K-pop edits, have been a source of activism before.
"K-pop fans have a really good understanding of how social media works.
"They have been able to harness the same skill set on Twitter to promote other types of political campaigns — BLM in the US is the biggest example.
"We also saw how fans across Australia [used] TikTok to lend their support to social causes like climate change, and bring awareness to the bushfires."
But while silly, sexy content has the power of virality, Dr Crystal says it can also be a distraction.
At Thursday's hearing there was a sensible line of questioning from Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who focused on the issue of black creators being shadow banned and receiving less exposure on the app.
While her questions went viral initially, they've now been largely buried under the memes and K-pop edits.
Ultimately, this discourse can be "a good entry point" for TikTok to address "concerns around lack of transparency, shadow banning, or creator fund access", Dr Crystal says, with users already starting to resurface some of these issues themselves.
"There's now more awareness, and it's got more people interested in the topic."
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