The Biden administration is demanding that TikTok be divested from Beijing-based ByteDance, rejecting the company’s proposal before US national security officials.
Dan Kidwood/Getty Images
Hide title
Change the title
Dan Kidwood/Getty Images
The Biden administration is demanding that TikTok be divested from Beijing-based ByteDance, rejecting the company’s proposal before US national security officials.
Dan Kidwood/Getty Images
The Biden administration is demanding that China-owned TikTok be sold or the popular video app could face a ban in the United States, according to a TikTok spokesperson.
It is not clear if the central authorities have given TikTok a deadline to find a buyer. Regardless, it’s a major expansion by White House officials who care deeply about the security of Americans’ data on an app used by more than 100 million Americans.
This is the first time the Biden administration has openly threatened to ban TikTok. President Trump tried to put TikTok out of business, but the actions were halted by the federal courts. The new request by US authorities will face a legal challenge from TikTok.
A TikTok spokesperson said the company was “disappointed in the outcome.”
For two years, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, has been examining whether American data is being properly protected.
In response, TikTok has pledged to spend $1.5 billion on what it calls the “Texas Project.” A strong firewall will be implemented between TikTok and its Beijing parent company employees.
The project relies on data oversight by Texas-based software giant Oracle. This includes independent monitors and auditors to ensure that US user data cannot be accessed by corporate owner Byte Dance or Chinese authorities.
Although the deal was not formally approved, CFIUS initially appeared to be satisfied with the safeguards that TikTok was implementing.
Now, however, CFIUS has rejected TikTok’s proposal and is demanding that Python sell the app — something Python has vehemently resisted for years.
During the Trump administration, a media outlet aligned itself with the Chinese Communist Party was invited Forced segregation is equivalent to “open robbery” in America.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday. This is coming After the bipartisan bill was released Earlier this month That would give President Biden the power to ban TikTok.
CFIUS’ request that TikTok divest from ByteDance doesn’t address data concerns lawmakers have with the app, Oberwetter said.
“The best way to address national security concerns is with transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data and systems, along with robust third-party monitoring, verification and validation, which we already have in place,” TikTok spokeswoman Brooke Oberwetter said. .
A spokesman for the Commerce Department declined to comment. ByteDance did not return a request for comment.
