White House Unveils Plan to “Save” TikTok for 170 Million US Users
The White House has announced a plan to restructure TikTok’s ownership, aiming to alleviate national security concerns and save the social media app for its 170 million US users. According to a senior White House official, the plan involves creating a new joint venture based in the US, with a majority of US investors and owners, as well as a majority of Americans on its board of directors.
Software maker Oracle will serve as the security provider for US operations, ensuring “top to bottom” security, including the security of the algorithm. This move brings the algorithm under the control of the US joint venture, which will be continuously monitored to prevent any malicious activity or undue influence. The official anticipates that the president will sign an executive order later this week, declaring the terms of the deal meet America’s national security interests and extending the enforcement pause on the law banning TikTok for an additional 120 days.
Concerns and Uncertainties Surrounding the Deal
One potential sticking point in the plan is the question of who will control TikTok’s algorithm, a complex and powerful software code that has driven the app’s rapid growth worldwide. Some policy experts believe that allowing ByteDance personnel to retain access to all or part of the algorithm could expose US users to risk. It is unclear whether any Chinese officials will be allowed on the board of directors, and investors are still being sought.
Despite the uncertainty, the official reported “an overwhelming interest in this project” from well-known American companies. Over the weekend, the president indicated that media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan would likely be involved in the deal. However, Beijing has yet to publicly acknowledge a deal or framework, with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that they would “support their teams in reaching a proper deal on TikTok through consultation.”
China’s Involvement and the President’s Stance
The president told reporters last week that he may be “a little bit prejudiced” in favor of TikTok, citing its help in winning over young voters in 2024. He stated, “I’m a little prejudiced because I frankly did so well on it. It got me numbers that nobody’s ever even heard of before.” The senior White House official claimed that they feel confident China has approved the deal, despite the lack of public acknowledgement from Beijing.
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