Trump-backed deal to save TikTok faces lingering security questions for Congress: Its a smokescreen | Latest Tech News
The Trump-backed deal to “save” TikTok fails to handle core national security issues, according to some specialists – and even top lawmakers appear to be in the darkish about whether or not it complies with Congress’s law that acknowledged the app could be banned if it remained in Chinese fingers.
After a years-long legal saga, the Chinese-owned company on Thursday announced the creation of a new TikTok US three way partnership ruled by a majority-American board of administrators.
China-based ByteDance holds a 19.9% stake in the entity and will preserve possession of TikTok’s algorithm, which will probably be licensed to the US entity and “retrained” on US person data.
A deal backed to “save TikTok” that’s backed by President Trump fails to handle core national security issues, according to some specialists. REUTERS
The phrases fall short of Congress’s intentions to safeguard the app and imply that TikTok “will remain under ByteDance’s effective control,” according to Michael Sobolik, a top professional on China and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.
“This isn’t a divestment, it’s a smokescreen,” he told The Post. “The algorithm remains under Beijing’s watchful eye, and ByteDance has the strongest ownership position inside this new consortium. All the national security concerns remain, despite assurances to the contrary from the administration.”
Federal law handed in 2024 required ByteDance to utterly divest control of TikTok or face a complete ban of the app in the US.
The laws notably prohibits “any cooperation with respect to the operation of a content recommendation algorithm” or data-sharing between ByteDance and US-based house owners. At the same time, the law leaves it up to the president to determine what constitutes a “qualified divestiture.”
China hawks in Congress pushed for a ban due to issues that Beijing would leverage TikTok to spy on and affect the app’s base of 200 million American customers.
TikTok went darkish for a few hours after failing to meet the law’s January 2025 to change possession.
But Trump on his first day in workplace signed an govt order conserving the platform up and working while the White House sought to broker new possession.
So far, it’s unclear if congressional leaders will problem the new deal. Experts say Americans are still missing important particulars about the association.
Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), a staunch TikTok critic, said that he plans to maintain a public listening to about the deal “in the coming months.” CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
“Without further detail it’s impossible to know whether this adheres to the letter of the law,” said Carrie Filipetti, govt director at the Vandenberg Coalition, a coverage assume tank.
“This is, of course, first and foremost about the importance of protecting American security from CCP influence, but it’s also about maintaining Congress’ oversight,” she added, utilizing the acronym for the Communist Party of China.
“If they’re not willing to defend their power when their individual constituents’ security may be at risk, I’m not sure when they would be willing to,” Filipetti added.
On Thursday, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), a staunch TikTok critic who chairs the House choose committee on China, told CBS News he plans to maintain a public listening to about the deal “in the coming months.”
“Most of us are not knowledgeable about the internal workings of that deal … One is: Does it make sure that the CCP does not have influence over the algorithm? And the other is: Can we assure Americans that their data is secure? Those are the two questions that need to be answered as we go forward,” Moolenaar said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who beforehand signaled he would oppose any deal that didn’t embody China’s full divestment, has yet to remark on the finalized deal.
Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz said any claims that ByteDance will still control TikTok are “absurd.”
“ByteDance own less than 20% of the company, and has 1 of 7 board seats,” Bruesewitz said.
“Many of the vocal critics of the TikTok deal don’t understand it, and are just reflexively criticizing the president because they’re Never Trump RINOs or radical-left lunatics who lack the aura necessary to become TikTok stars like Trump & Vance.”
Reps for the choose committee and Cotton didn’t immediately return requests for remark.
ByteDance’s 19.9% stake in the new entity is the biggest particular person possession stake in the partnership — and falls just below Congress’s mandated 20% cap on Chinese possession.
ByteDance on Thursday announced the creation of a new TikTok US three way partnership ruled by a majority-American board of administrators. AP
US tech giant Oracle, Emirati investment fund MGX and US-based Silver Lake will each take 15% stakes, while a consortium of other traders that embody billionaire Michael Dell will maintain the remainder.
TikTok said Oracle would serve as a “trusted security partner” that would oversee the revamped algorithm on US-based servers. Congress beforehand rejected a comparable plan involving Oracle, dubbed “Project Texas,” as insufficient to handle security issues.
“The majority American owned Joint Venture will operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for US users,” TikTok said in a assertion.
While the deal’s actual financial phrases weren’t disclosed, Bloomberg reported in September that ByteDance would obtain 50% or more of earnings from the TikTok US entity – including a roughly 20% cut in income from a hefty licensing payment it would charge for use of TikTok’s algorithm.
That would imply if TikTok US generated $20 billion in income, ByteDance would earn up to $4 billion. It would rake in even more earnings due to its 19.9% possession stake in the mixed entity.
“With this new entity under the control of US investors, Americans can continue to enjoy TikTok safely and securely with their data protected in the United States,” a spokesperson for Vice President Vance said. REUTERS
Vice President JD Vance, who spearheaded negotiations on the deal, beforehand said TikTok US was price $14 billion.
Vance and Trump remained in close contact throughout the talks and prioritized securing a framework that would correctly handle national security and data privateness issues, a source acquainted with the state of affairs said.
“With this new entity under the control of US investors, Americans can continue to enjoy TikTok safely and securely with their data protected in the United States,” a Vance spokesperson said in a assertion.
The Post has reached out to TikTok for additional remark.
About 66% of Trump voters consider the public has the appropriate to know the ultimate phrases of the TikTok deal, according to an October ballot carried out by Vandenberg.
Over 9 in 10 respondents said they maintained issues that TikTok is a national security risk.
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