US Moves to Force TikTok Out of Chinese Control Amid National Security Concerns
The United States is pressing ahead with efforts to strip TikTok from Chinese ownership, citing national security concerns over the popular video-sharing app’s ties to Beijing. The platform, owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, counts more than 170 million American users, many of them young people, making it one of the most influential social media outlets in the country.
Earlier this year, Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. Washington argues that Beijing could compel ByteDance to hand over user data or manipulate TikTok’s algorithms for propaganda purposes, a charge both the company and the Chinese government have repeatedly denied.
Negotiations have since intensified. Reports indicate that a U.S.-based consortium led by Oracle and investment firm Silver Lake is poised to acquire up to 80 percent of TikTok’s American operations, leaving ByteDance with a minority stake of under 20 percent.
President Donald Trump has extended the compliance deadline to December 16, 2025, to allow the deal to be finalized, while confirming that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given his approval for the arrangement.
Still, the matter remains contentious.
Critics warn that even with U.S. investors in control, ByteDance’s influence could persist through its proprietary algorithm, the core technology behind TikTok’s addictive recommendation system. Others argue that forcing a divestment may infringe on free speech rights, with ByteDance already challenging aspects of the law in court.
Meanwhile, China’s own export restrictions on sensitive technologies could complicate any transfer of algorithmic control.
For users, the uncertainty has raised concerns about the future of an app central to youth culture, content creation, and digital marketing.
For Washington, however, the dispute is about more than social media—it represents a test case in its broader effort to reduce reliance on Chinese technology and safeguard American data.
As talks continue, TikTok remains online in the U.S., but the clock is ticking toward the December deadline that could reshape the platform’s future—or take it off American phones altogether.
