TikTok told users to contact their representatives. Lawmakers say what happened next shows why an ownership restructure is necessary.

Some TikTok users saw their phones flash Thursday morning with an urgent-sounding push notification: "Take action: Speak up against a TikTok shutdown." The alert linked to a page prompting users to enter their zip code, then provided them with a direct link to call their congressional representative. Lawmakers say their offices were inundated with calls as a result.

And the calls to action have not ended. A new page pushed out to users by TikTok Friday warns, "Your freedom to create is at risk," and once again provides a link to call. 

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat who serves as the ranking member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, said Friday this demonstrates exactly why he takes issue with the app, whose parent company is privately owned Chinese technology firm ByteDance. Critics say that as a Chinese company, ByteDance poses security risks.