TikTok, the popular video-sharing app owned by ByteDance, has announced that it will not sell the app in order to continue operating in the U.S. This decision comes despite a potential ban that could be imposed on the company under a law signed by President Biden. The bill, part of a foreign aid package, gives ByteDance one year to sell TikTok or face being banned from the U.S.
ByteDance’s decision to fight the ban rather than back down reflects its commitment to maintaining its operations in the U.S., and it has released a statement on its news aggregation app Toutiao denying reports that it was exploring options to sell TikTok without its algorithm. The company clarified that these reports were false and stated that it has no plans to sell TikTok.
If TikTok were sold in the U.S., it would likely be a different app from what users are familiar with today as Chinese export rules would govern the transfer of the app’s algorithm. The TikTok algorithm has been a crucial element in the app’s popularity among users, and if lost, it could significantly impact user engagement on the platform. Meanwhile, TikTok has announced its intention to challenge the new law in court, having faced previous attempts at bans under both Trump and state governments which have been thwarted by courts. Despite these challenges, TikTok remains optimistic about its ability to continue operating in the U.S., ready to defend its position through legal means.