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ByteDance Signs Deal for TikTok US Joint Venture

Does TikTok's sale free it from Chinese control, or is it a sham divestment keeping the algorithm in Beijing's hands?
ByteDance Signs Deal for TikTok US Joint Venture
Above: A phone displaying the TikTok logo against a backdrop of the Chinese flag. Image credit: Unsplash

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

TikTok's sale to American investors finally frees the platform from Chinese control and protects national security. The deal ensures majority American ownership through Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX. A seven-member board dominated by Americans will oversee operations and safeguard American users' data from foreign influence.

Anti-Trump narrative

This deal is a sham divestment that leaves TikTok's core technology in Chinese hands while pretending to address security concerns. ByteDance retains ownership of the underlying algorithm and keeps a 20% stake, meaning the structure looks more like a franchise arrangement than the clean break Congress demanded to eliminate covert data access risks.

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 95.5% chance that TikTok will still be available in the U.S., owned by a foreign adversary, on Dec. 31, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.



The Controversies



Go Deeper


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO



© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0