In a move to address national security concerns, the United States government has announced plans to ban the popular video app TikTok by January 19 if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not sell it to a non-Chinese company. The Trump administration has been working to force ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok amid fears that the Chinese government could access user data collected by the app.
TikTok has faced scrutiny in the US over its handling of user data and its ties to the Chinese government. The app, which has gained popularity among young users for its short video format, has been accused of censoring content that is critical of the Chinese government and of posing a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership.
ByteDance has been in talks with American companies including Microsoft and Oracle to sell off TikTok’s US operations in order to appease US regulators. However, negotiations have been complicated by concerns over data security and the potential for a Chinese company to retain some control over the app’s operations.
If ByteDance fails to meet the January 19 deadline to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company, the app will be banned in the United States, depriving millions of American users of access to the popular platform. The ban would have significant implications for TikTok’s business and its user base, as well as for the broader technology industry.
The deadline set by the US government has put pressure on ByteDance to make a deal to sell TikTok in order to avoid the app’s ban. With time running out, the fate of TikTok in the US hangs in the balance as negotiations continue between ByteDance and potential buyers.
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