TikTok Deal Swaps Chinese Surveillance for U.S. Surveillance, Critics Warn
13 hours ago
- #Data Privacy
- #TikTok
- #US-China Relations
- The Trump administration is finalizing a deal to transfer TikTok to American ownership, ensuring data, privacy, and algorithm control by U.S. entities.
- The deal stems from concerns over Chinese surveillance and propaganda, but cybersecurity experts warn it may shift surveillance risks to the U.S. government.
- Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz will lead a consortium owning at least 80% of TikTok U.S., with ByteDance retaining a minority stake.
- U.S. user data will be stored on Oracle servers in Texas, addressing past concerns about data being held on Chinese servers.
- Oracle will retrain TikTok's algorithm to remove Chinese influence, though technical feasibility and China's retention of the algorithm remain unclear.
- Critics worry about excessive U.S. government influence over TikTok's new board and algorithm, raising concerns about surveillance and content manipulation.
- The deal reflects broader U.S.-China trade dynamics, with questions about Beijing's motivations for approving the transfer.