Donald Trump Signs Decree Allowing TikTok to Remain in the US with Conditions
Donald Trump has signed a decree that permits TikTok to stay in the United States, but with a condition: the app's American activities must be transferred to a group of American investors, including Larry Ellison and Michael Dell. The agreement is not yet finalized and remains subject to China's approval.
Objective: Addressing National Security Concerns
The objective of this decision is clear: to address concerns related to national security. A law adopted last year threatened to ban TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, did not sell its American activities. The decree gives negotiators 120 days to finalize the transfer and set up the new structure.
New Ownership Structure
According to the White House, the future American company would be owned by approximately 80% by local investors, with ByteDance retaining less than 20% of the shares. The board of directors would be mostly American, and ByteDance would have only one seat, without any power over security matters.
Changes to the TikTok Experience
The TikTok experience itself is set to evolve:
- The algorithm that recommends videos will be retrained using only American data.
- The new entity will control the code and content moderation to limit any external influence. The precise details remain to be defined.
Impact on Young Users
This decision primarily concerns young users. In the United States, nearly half of adults under 30 use TikTok to follow the news, according to the Pew Research Center, making the app an essential player in social media among young people.
