Trump Extends TikTok Ban Delay as China hints at Algorithm control
Former president Donald Trump has once again delayed a ban on TikTok, extending the deadline for enforcement until December 16th. This marks the fourth postponement of a law initially signed in 2024 by President Joe biden, designed to force the sale of the popular app from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or face closure in the United States.
the delay comes amidst reports of a potential deal between the US and China regarding TikTok’s future. China’s cyber security regulator indicated the framework of the agreement includes “licensing the algorithm and other intellectual property rights” to TikTok, while ByteDance would “entrust the operation of TikTok’s US user data and content security.”
This suggestion that the US version of TikTok could continue to utilize the Chinese-developed algorithm has drawn criticism from some US lawmakers. A spokesperson for the House Select Committee on China stated any deal must comply with existing legislation requiring TikTok’s divestment from Chinese ownership. “It wouldn’t be in compliance if the algorithm is Chinese. There can’t be any shared algorithm with ByteDance,” they said.
American officials have previously expressed concerns that the algorithm powering tiktok is susceptible to manipulation by Chinese authorities, potentially influencing the content seen by US users. TikTok has consistently denied these claims, stating the US has never provided evidence of such interference.
Trump, who utilized social media extensively during his 2024 election campaign and has publicly expressed his fondness for TikTok, has repeatedly delayed the ban. He stated, “We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it,” and added he would “hate to see value like that thrown out the window.”
While both sides have described a “framework” for a deal, a senior White House official cautioned against premature conclusions, stating details remain “speculation unless they are announced by this governance.”
The ongoing situation stems from national security concerns regarding ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government and potential risks related to data collection and content manipulation. TikTok has repeatedly denied sharing user data with Chinese authorities and has challenged restrictions in federal court.
This report is based on details from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and the Guardian.
