As reported by Bloomberg:

“TikTok’s management is discussing the potential of separating from ByteDance, its Chinese language mother or father firm, to assist handle issues about nationwide safety dangers. A divestiture, which may end in a sale or preliminary public providing, is taken into account a final resort, to be pursued provided that the corporate’s current proposal with nationwide safety officers doesn’t get permitted, in accordance with folks conversant in the matter.”

That’s an identical path to what TikTok was virtually compelled into again in 2020, when then President Donald Trump known as for the app to be bought into US possession, or face a full ban.

The Biden Administration finally deserted these plans, which, at one stage, had Microsoft and Oracle because the entrance runners to buy the app. However now, amid rising issues from cybersecurity specialists, and growing tensions with the Chinese language authorities, The White Home could as soon as once more be near pushing TikTok into drastic motion.

Although even that is probably not a viable path. The Chinese language Authorities would nonetheless have some say over say such motion, and must approve the sell-off – which, given its numerous statements on the actions taken towards TikTok so far, it is probably not prepared to do.

Final month, in response to the rising bans of TikTok on government-owned units within the US, Chinese language International Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned that:

“[The US government] has been overstretching the idea of nationwide safety and abusing state energy to suppress different nations’ corporations. How uncertain of itself can the US, the world’s prime superpower, be to concern an adolescent’s favourite app to such a level?”

This has been a typical chorus from the CCP, that the US mustn’t have the facility to easily cancel a Chinese language-owned app with out clear cause for such.

It appears possible that the CCP can be none too happy a few compelled sell-off of a Chinese language asset for a similar cause – so even when TikTok and ByteDance have been to discover this avenue, it nonetheless is probably not doable below the present course of.

Actually, the subsequent stage for the app hinges on the looks of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew earlier than the US Home Vitality and Commerce Committee, which can occur on March twenty third, the place Chew will likely be questioned in regards to the app, and the capability for knowledge sharing with Chinese language-based teams.

If Chew’s solutions fail to win over US senators, then you’ll be able to guess that the requires a TikTok ban will get even louder, whereas one other spy balloon-type incident could possibly be all that’s wanted to power President Biden’s hand – and Biden does now have the facility to ban the app, if he sees match.

It appears possible {that a} compromise, of some variety, will should be met, however the tense environment round US-China relations doesn’t bode nicely for the app, because it at present stands.

I might nonetheless guess on TikTok persevering with on in some kind, however as famous, there are numerous components at play that would certainly see it gone earlier than the yr is out.