Cyberspace Administration of&nbsp;China has issued guidelines under which service providers must abide by business ethics and principles of fairness and should not set up algorithm models that entice users to spend large amounts of money or spend money in a way that may disrupt public order.

The draft is open for public feedback until September 26, China said, adding that the algorithms should not be used to create fake user accounts and users should be given the option to easily turn off algorithm recommendation services.

So what are internet recommendation algorithms?

Internet recommendation algorithms help users discover new products and services.

Internet companies globally use algorithms to predict user preferences and make recommendations.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-xi-jinpings-thought-to-be-taught-at-chinese-schools-408386/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

In&nbsp;China, this would include firms such as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, ride-hailing firm Didi Global and TikTok owner ByteDance.

Earlier this year, the Chinese Consumer Association criticised internet companies&nbsp;for misusing personal data and "bullying" people into purchases and promotions. State media have since issued multiple calls for regulating the use of such algorithms.

China&nbsp;recently passed a data security law&nbsp;that will go into effect on September&nbsp;1 to protect internet users' rights in cyberspace and impose curbs on its fast-growing internet industry.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-education-to-bitcoin-chinas-season-of-regulatory-crackdown-401448">Also read|&nbsp;From education to bitcoin, China's season of regulatory crackdown</a>

Impact on users

Internet platforms assert that they use automated recommendation systems to enhance users’ experiences on their platforms through personalised and relevant recommendations. Of course, in doing this, internet platforms -- from film streaming platforms to news sites and e-commerce portals -- also seek to retain user attention on their services.

This translates to significant financial benefits for the companies, as they can target users with advertisements and recommend further content to consume or items to purchase.

Definitions of “relevance” vary across platforms, and are largely based on what a platform believes a user is interested in through its data collection and inference practices.

In some cases, however, the use of algorithmic decision-making tools results in the recommendation of harmful content, such as misinformation, conspiracy theories, and extremist propaganda.

In some instances,&nbsp;these recommender systems yield discriminatory outcomes that reinforce societal biases.

Internet platforms that deploy automated recommendation systems do not currently provide meaningful transparency and accountability around how these systems are created and operated.

There is little visibility into how platforms have developed and crafted these recommendation systems, how they operate, and how they make decisions.

This makes it very difficult to analyse and combat the problematic recommendations that come from these systems.

Big Tech companies are facing allegations of lack of transparency and accountability from internet platforms.

This is especially concerning given that recommender systems have a significant amount of influence over how users engage with, and are influenced by, the online sphere.

Not only can recommender systems influence product purchases, but they also can determine what content, such as news articles, a user will even see.

China's regulatory crackdown

With&nbsp;market-trembling new rules and investigations, Beijing's crackdown on its most prominent companies has seeped into nearly every aspect of modern life, wiping billions of dollars from Chinese and Hong Kong-listed stocks and bamboozling investment sages.

From after-school tutoring to music streaming apps, and shopping to bike-sharing, stellar firms have been hit as Beijing tightens the leash on corporations, citing national security and antitrust concerns.

Whether motivated by the control reflexes of the Communist Party, or to avoid market contortions hurting the pockets and safety of the Chinese public, few expect this to be the end of the crackdown.

(With inputs from agencies)

Cyberspace Administration of China has issued guidelines under which service providers must abide by business ethics and principles of fairness and should not set up algorithm models that entice users to spend large amounts of money or spend money in a way that may disrupt public order.

Cyberspace Administration of China has issued guidelines under which service providers must abide by business ethics and principles of fairness and should not set up algorithm models that entice users to spend large amounts of money or spend money in a way that may disrupt public order. The draft is open for public feedback until September 26, China said, adding that the algorithms should not be used to create fake user accounts and users should be given the option to easily turn off algorithm recommendation services. So what are internet recommendation algorithms? Internet recommendation algorithms help users discover new products and services. Internet companies globally use algorithms to predict user preferences and make recommendations. In China, this would include firms such as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, ride-hailing firm Didi Global and TikTok owner ByteDance. Earlier this year, the Chinese Consumer Association criticised internet companies for misusing personal data and "bullying" people into purchases and promotions. State media have since issued multiple calls for regulating the use of such algorithms. China recently passed a data security law that will go into effect on September 1 to protect internet users' rights in cyberspace and impose curbs on its fast-growing internet industry. Also read| From education to bitcoin, China's season of regulatory crackdown Impact on users Internet platforms assert that they use automated recommendation systems to enhance users’ experiences on their platforms through personalised and relevant recommendations. Of course, in doing this, internet platforms -- from film streaming platforms to news sites and e-commerce portals -- also seek to retain user attention on their services. This translates to significant financial benefits for the companies, as they can target users with advertisements and recommend further content to consume or items to purchase. Definitions of “relevance” vary across platforms, and are largely based on what a platform believes a user is interested in through its data collection and inference practices. In some cases, however, the use of algorithmic decision-making tools results in the recommendation of harmful content, such as misinformation, conspiracy theories, and extremist propaganda. In some instances, these recommender systems yield discriminatory outcomes that reinforce societal biases. Internet platforms that deploy automated recommendation systems do not currently provide meaningful transparency and accountability around how these systems are created and operated. There is little visibility into how platforms have developed and crafted these recommendation systems, how they operate, and how they make decisions. This makes it very difficult to analyse and combat the problematic recommendations that come from these systems. Big Tech companies are facing allegations of lack of transparency and accountability from internet platforms. This is especially concerning given that recommender systems have a significant amount of influence over how users engage with, and are influenced by, the online sphere. Not only can recommender systems influence product purchases, but they also can determine what content, such as news articles, a user will even see. China's regulatory crackdown With market-trembling new rules and investigations, Beijing's crackdown on its most prominent companies has seeped into nearly every aspect of modern life, wiping billions of dollars from Chinese and Hong Kong-listed stocks and bamboozling investment sages. From after-school tutoring to music streaming apps, and shopping to bike-sharing, stellar firms have been hit as Beijing tightens the leash on corporations, citing national security and antitrust concerns. Whether motivated by the control reflexes of the Communist Party, or to avoid market contortions hurting the pockets and safety of the Chinese public, few expect this to be the end of the crackdown. (With inputs from agencies)

What are recommendation algorithms that China is cracking down on, and how do they affect internet users?

China's internet watchdog said on Friday that companies including ByteDance, Baidu and Kuaishou had improperly collected user data. 
 
China Cyberspace Administration also named American tech giant Microsoft and its two products Bing and LinkedIn in a statement.

China's internet watchdog said on Friday that companies including ByteDance, Baidu and Kuaishou had improperly collected user data. China Cyberspace Administration also named American tech giant Microsoft and its two products Bing and LinkedIn in a statement.

China says ByteDance, Baidu, Microsoft improperly collected user data

More than 20 Chinese tech giants have made a public pact to abide by anti-monopoly guidelines, after regulators told them to note "the warning" of a record fine against e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Beijing is taking China's tech firms to task to curtail the reach of private companies into the daily finances of the Chinese public,&nbsp;and, analysts say, to rein in their runaway expansion.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/alibaba-says-to-lower-entry-barriers-after-record-antitrust-fine-376969/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In a series of individual statements published by China's market regulator on Wednesday and Thursday, some of the country's biggest brands,&nbsp;including ByteDance, Baidu and CTrip,&nbsp;promised to "ensure fair competition", "not abuse market dominance", and "not implement unfair price behaviour".

The oaths come after regulators summoned 34 tech companies on Tuesday and warned them to "rectify" any anti-competitive measures and "heed the warning of Alibaba's case".

The firms were given one month to undergo complete rectification after conducting internal checks, and to correct practices that harmed competition.

Ride-hailing service Didi, video platforms Kuaishou and Bilibili, as well as e-commerce firm JD.com are also among those who have since published commitments.

JD.com said it would not force the practice of "choosing one of two" on its retailers,&nbsp;where merchants are compelled to work only with one platform and not its rivals -- a move which Alibaba had come under fire for.

Meanwhile, in its statement, Didi pledged: "Except where necessary for regular business activities, we will not illegally collect or misuse personal information."&nbsp;

The next front in Beijing's assault on big tech could be the huge volumes of data they scoop up from China's consumers.

On Saturday, regulators hit Alibaba with a $2.78 billion penalty, after a months-long investigation found it had been abusing its dominant market position.

Alibaba and JD.com, along with messaging and gaming giant Tencent, have become hugely profitable on the back of growing Chinese digital lifestyles and government restrictions on major US competitors in the domestic market.

But as the platforms amassed hundreds of millions of regular users, concern has risen over their influence in China, where they are used for a huge array of daily tasks.

(With input from agencies)

More than 20 Chinese tech giants have made a public pact to abide by anti-monopoly guidelines, after regulators told them to note "the warning" of a record fine against e-commerce giant Alibaba.

More than 20 Chinese tech giants have made a public pact to abide by anti-monopoly guidelines, after regulators told them to note "the warning" of a record fine against e-commerce giant Alibaba. Beijing is taking China's tech firms to task to curtail the reach of private companies into the daily finances of the Chinese public, and, analysts say, to rein in their runaway expansion. In a series of individual statements published by China's market regulator on Wednesday and Thursday, some of the country's biggest brands, including ByteDance, Baidu and CTrip, promised to "ensure fair competition", "not abuse market dominance", and "not implement unfair price behaviour". The oaths come after regulators summoned 34 tech companies on Tuesday and warned them to "rectify" any anti-competitive measures and "heed the warning of Alibaba's case". The firms were given one month to undergo complete rectification after conducting internal checks, and to correct practices that harmed competition. Ride-hailing service Didi, video platforms Kuaishou and Bilibili, as well as e-commerce firm JD.com are also among those who have since published commitments. JD.com said it would not force the practice of "choosing one of two" on its retailers, where merchants are compelled to work only with one platform and not its rivals -- a move which Alibaba had come under fire for. Meanwhile, in its statement, Didi pledged: "Except where necessary for regular business activities, we will not illegally collect or misuse personal information." The next front in Beijing's assault on big tech could be the huge volumes of data they scoop up from China's consumers. On Saturday, regulators hit Alibaba with a $2.78 billion penalty, after a months-long investigation found it had been abusing its dominant market position. Alibaba and JD.com, along with messaging and gaming giant Tencent, have become hugely profitable on the back of growing Chinese digital lifestyles and government restrictions on major US competitors in the domestic market. But as the platforms amassed hundreds of millions of regular users, concern has risen over their influence in China, where they are used for a huge array of daily tasks. (With input from agencies)

Over 20 Chinese tech giants make public pact to abide by anti-monopoly guidelines

According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, regulators are planning to draft new rules&nbsp;for the country's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-eyes-record-monopoly-fine-near-1-billion-for-alibaba-report-370023"> e-commerce</a> platforms.

Xinhua, quoting market regulators, said that the regulators will “adopt more powerful regulatory measures this year with a series of actions” to "standardise online deals, maintain fair competition and protect consumer rights".

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-pursuing-allies-for-anti-china-pushback-369558/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The move comes as authorities reportedly took down nearly 234,000 examples of improper online sales information between October and December last year.

Chinese authorities recently cracked down on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-eyes-record-monopoly-fine-near-1-billion-for-alibaba-report-370023">Alibaba</a> even as its legendry founder<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alibabas-jack-ma-no-longer-richest-in-china-after-tiff-with-regulators-over-anti-trust-issues-367374"> Jack Ma</a> had disappeared from public view for a few months until mid-January.&nbsp;

According to state broadcaster CCTV, President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of the Communist party’s top financial and coordination committee, ordering regulators to step up oversight of internet companies.

The financial regulators had earlier disallowed the $35 billion Hong Kong-Shanghai IPO of Alibaba's online payment subsidiary Ant Group. The Chinese officials had launched an investigation into Alibaba's business practices which it deemed as anti-competitive.

The Chinese market regulator reportedly denied they were planning to fine the company almost $1 billion for anti-competitive behaviour.

The country's regulators fined 12&nbsp;tech firms including Tencent, Baidu and ByteDance for allegedly flouting<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-market-regulator-fines-12-firms-for-violating-anti-monopoly-law-369913"> monopoly</a> rules.

Tencent was fined $77,000 for its 2018 investment in online education app Yuanfudao without reportedly seeking prior government approval.

Chinese premier Li Keqiang had said that the government would "strengthen anti-monopoly laws" and "prevent the disorderly expansion of capital".

The country had earlier announced plans to boost supervision of its lucrative fintech sector. &nbsp;Keqiang had asserted that there was a need to "manage financial risks and ensure that no systemic risks arise".

According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, regulators are planning to draft new rules for the country's e-commerce platforms. Xinhua, quoting market regulators, said that the regulators will “adopt more powerful regulatory measures this year with a series of actions” to "standardise online deals, maintain fair competition and protect consumer rights".

According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, regulators are planning to draft new rules for the country's e-commerce platforms. Xinhua, quoting market regulators, said that the regulators will “adopt more powerful regulatory measures this year with a series of actions” to "standardise online deals, maintain fair competition and protect consumer rights". Watch: The move comes as authorities reportedly took down nearly 234,000 examples of improper online sales information between October and December last year. Chinese authorities recently cracked down on Alibaba even as its legendry founder Jack Ma had disappeared from public view for a few months until mid-January. According to state broadcaster CCTV, President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of the Communist party’s top financial and coordination committee, ordering regulators to step up oversight of internet companies. The financial regulators had earlier disallowed the $35 billion Hong Kong-Shanghai IPO of Alibaba's online payment subsidiary Ant Group. The Chinese officials had launched an investigation into Alibaba's business practices which it deemed as anti-competitive. The Chinese market regulator reportedly denied they were planning to fine the company almost $1 billion for anti-competitive behaviour. The country's regulators fined 12 tech firms including Tencent, Baidu and ByteDance for allegedly flouting monopoly rules. Tencent was fined $77,000 for its 2018 investment in online education app Yuanfudao without reportedly seeking prior government approval. Chinese premier Li Keqiang had said that the government would "strengthen anti-monopoly laws" and "prevent the disorderly expansion of capital". The country had earlier announced plans to boost supervision of its lucrative fintech sector. Keqiang had asserted that there was a need to "manage financial risks and ensure that no systemic risks arise".

China planning to draft regulation for e-commerce platforms: Report

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday.

The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Glance's parent, mobile advertising technology firm InMobi, also owns short-video app Roposo that has gained in popularity after TikTok was banned by the Indian government in July last year.

SoftBank is a backer of InMobi Pte as well as TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, the report added.

Softbank, ByteDance and InMobi, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Last month, ByteDance reduced its 2,000-plus India team and said in a company memo that it's unsure of resuming operations in India.

The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy.

According to the report, the Indian government will insist that user data and technology of TikTok stay within its borders if the talks progress.

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Glance's parent, mobile advertising technology firm InMobi, also owns short-video app Roposo that has gained in popularity after TikTok was banned by the Indian government in July last year. SoftBank is a backer of InMobi Pte as well as TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, the report added. Softbank, ByteDance and InMobi, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Last month, ByteDance reduced its 2,000-plus India team and said in a company memo that it's unsure of resuming operations in India. The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy. According to the report, the Indian government will insist that user data and technology of TikTok stay within its borders if the talks progress.

ByteDance explores sale of Indian TikTok assets to rival firm Glance

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13.

It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge.

Prosecutors in Palermo are investigating that case, which has led to increased scrutiny of children's use of social media platforms. 
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Italian regulator on Wednesday said TikTok had agreed to block all accounts in Italy from February 9, and to re-admit only users who provided a date of birth showing they were at least 13 years old.

The regulator said TikTok had also agreed to evaluate using artificial intelligence to detect under-age accounts.

Alexandra Evans, Tiktok's head of child safety in Europe, said it would also introduce a button into the app to enable members to report users who appeared to be under 13. 
&nbsp;

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13. It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge.

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13. It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge. Prosecutors in Palermo are investigating that case, which has led to increased scrutiny of children's use of social media platforms. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The Italian regulator on Wednesday said TikTok had agreed to block all accounts in Italy from February 9, and to re-admit only users who provided a date of birth showing they were at least 13 years old. The regulator said TikTok had also agreed to evaluate using artificial intelligence to detect under-age accounts. Alexandra Evans, Tiktok's head of child safety in Europe, said it would also introduce a button into the app to enable members to report users who appeared to be under 13.

TikTok to block users in Italy who say they are under 13

China's&nbsp;ByteDance&nbsp;is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned.

The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy.

The ban dates from last year when political tension between the neighbours rose over their disputed border.

"We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived...we find that has not been the case,"&nbsp;ByteDance&nbsp;wrote in the memo to staff in India, seen by Reuters.

"We simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain un-operational...we don't know when we will make a comeback in India"

In a statement, Tiktok said it was disappointing that despite its efforts it had not received a clear direction on how and when its apps could be re-instated.

"It is deeply regretful that after supporting our 2,000-plus employees in India for more than half a year, we have no choice but to scale back the size of our workforce," it said, but gave no further specifics.

At the time of last year's ban, the Indian government described the apps as "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India". The move followed a skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site that killed 20 Indian troops.

TikTok had committed to spend $1 billion in the region. Before the ban it had become one of the fastest-growing social media apps in India, once its largest market in terms of users.

China's ByteDance is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned.

China's ByteDance is cutting the size of its India team and is unsure when it will make a comeback, the company told employees in an internal memo on Wednesday, months after its popular TikTok video app was banned. The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy. The ban dates from last year when political tension between the neighbours rose over their disputed border. "We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived...we find that has not been the case," ByteDance wrote in the memo to staff in India, seen by Reuters. "We simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while our apps remain un-operational...we don't know when we will make a comeback in India" In a statement, Tiktok said it was disappointing that despite its efforts it had not received a clear direction on how and when its apps could be re-instated. "It is deeply regretful that after supporting our 2,000-plus employees in India for more than half a year, we have no choice but to scale back the size of our workforce," it said, but gave no further specifics. At the time of last year's ban, the Indian government described the apps as "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India". The move followed a skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site that killed 20 Indian troops. TikTok had committed to spend $1 billion in the region. Before the ban it had become one of the fastest-growing social media apps in India, once its largest market in terms of users.

ByteDance says cutting India workforce, unsure of comeback

TikTok is about to outlast President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a> stance toward Chinese tech companies.

Trump demanded last year that TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sell the viral video app. He said TikTok raised urgent national security concerns, on the grounds that the Chinese government could get access to users’ data. The dispute disrupted the app’s stratospheric rise.

ByteDance and the Trump administration are still talking, people familiar with the matter said. But it looks increasingly likely that the fate of the app will not be decided by Trump, who announced his demands with great fanfare over the summer, backed away from a deal he approved a month later and then turned his attention elsewhere.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-orders-coronavirus-drugs-that-cured-donald-trump-358977" hreflang="en">Germany orders coronavirus drugs that cured Donald Trump</a>

Instead, TikTok’s future will fall into the hands of Biden, who has said little about the company or the broader, bipartisan concerns about the growing influence of Chinese technology companies.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government agreed to extend a deadline in a court battle over restrictions targeting TikTok. The new deadline is Feb. 18 — almost a month after Biden takes office.

“My gut is that they’re hoping to ride this out and hope that this is on the back burner, and they can kind of skirt by under the radar,” Samm Sacks, a fellow at think tank New America, said about ByteDance’s approach to the final days of the Trump administration.

Biden has said America must be tougher toward Beijing, calling China’s president, Xi Jinping, a “thug.” But he has offered few details about how that approach would play out. He has said only that he will try to have a more consistent policy toward the country — in contrast to Trump’s patchwork aggression — while pressuring it on issues like its theft of American intellectual property.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jim-carrey-bids-farewell-to-worst-first-lady-melania-trump-with-a-cartoon-thx-for-nothing-358980" hreflang="en">Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’</a>

A spokesman for Biden’s transition team declined to comment on the president-elect’s plans. TikTok declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said in a statement that the risks associated with the app “have not changed, and the order requiring the divestiture stands.”

The government has been working with ByteDance and others to resolve the concerns, the spokeswoman said, adding, “That work continues, and the attorney general is authorized to take any steps necessary to enforce the order.”

TikTok is far from the only company with a stake in Biden’s approach to Chinese technology giants, which have increasingly tried to reach customers around the world. Trump’s administration spent years pressing U.S. carriers and its allies abroad to drop Chinese telecom equipment from 5G wireless networks. It tried to keep crucial equipment from Chinese semiconductor makers. Then it turned its gaze to consumer apps, trying to ban TikTok and WeChat and forcing the sale of dating app Grindr.

This month, Trump banned Alipay, owned by a branch of Chinese giant Alibaba, and a collection of other apps. The bans don’t take effect for 45 days, meaning designing and putting them in place will fall to Biden’s administration.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jim-carrey-bids-farewell-to-worst-first-lady-melania-trump-with-a-cartoon-thx-for-nothing-358980" hreflang="en">Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’</a>

TikTok has soared in popularity in the last year, particularly among younger users, who record lip-sync videos, comedy bits and riffs on other videos. TikTok says the national security concerns are unfounded, noting that its data is stored in the United States, with a backup in Singapore.

Trump’s efforts to pry the service from its Chinese parent company began this summer when he issued two executive orders targeting the app. One barred American firms from working with the app, effectively banning it. A second order demanded that ByteDance sell the app. The approach gave the government leverage: If the company made the sale, the administration would nix the other restrictions.

In September, ByteDance announced that it had reached a deal it hoped would satisfy the U.S. government. Software giant Oracle and Walmart would take their own stakes in TikTok, Oracle would manage the data that flows over the app, and leaders at the service would be American citizens.

Trump said Sept. 19 that he approved of the deal. But then he backtracked, expressing concerns that it would not put enough of the app’s ownership in American hands. The talks to complete the deal have continued ever since.

TikTok received multiple extensions from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a group of federal officials who vet deals involving international companies. The Trump administration decided it would not extend the deadline beyond Dec. 4 but has declined to act on the time limit. Under Trump’s executive order, the Justice Department has the authority to enforce his demands.

Federal judges have also put the administration’s ban on hold, eliminating some of its leverage over the app. The government has appealed the rulings.

Walmart declined to comment. Oracle did not respond to a request for comment.

Some people on ByteDance’s side of the negotiating table believe there are advantages to getting a deal done before Trump leaves. It would give the company more certainty about the app’s future, rather than waiting to see what Biden would do.

At the moment, if ByteDance wants to delay a deal beyond the Trump administration, “they don’t have to do anything, and they can outlast him,” said James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that if the administration launched a legal effort to force the sale of the app, ByteDance would “just stall it in court.”

But TikTok’s fate under Biden is far from certain.

If he wanted to offer TikTok some immediate relief from the pressure, Biden could rescind the executive order that was designed to cut it off from U.S. companies. He could also rescind the order commanding ByteDance to sell the app.

Biden’s administration could also consider a wider range of measures, short of an outright sale, to mitigate the federal panel’s concerns about TikTok, experts said.

That may take time. The new administration is still staffing important positions that would tackle the issue, meaning it could be months before ByteDance is able to resolve the government’s divestiture order. And without rescinding the policies aimed at TikTok, the Biden administration might find it hard to back down from the government’s defense of those policies in court.

Biden could also decide to pursue a harder line against the app as he looks to balance a desire for a coherent China policy with pressure from lawmakers from both parties who worry about the risks associated with Chinese tech companies.

While the talks between ByteDance and the government continue in private, TikTok has maintained its lobbying effort to convince government officials they have nothing to fear from the app, which uses the cheery slogan “Make Your Day.”

On Dec. 18, the company sent an edition of its email newsletter for policymakers in Washington. It reported that small businesses in Austin, Texas, were using the app to reach customers, that the company was donating $10 million to academic institutions that have public health programs, and that the service had updated its terms of service to better police bullying.

The footer of the newsletter ended with the same message it always does: “We hope this made your day.”

TikTok is about to outlast President Donald Trump. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect Joe Biden’s stance toward Chinese tech companies.

TikTok is about to outlast President Donald Trump. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect Joe Biden’s stance toward Chinese tech companies. Trump demanded last year that TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sell the viral video app. He said TikTok raised urgent national security concerns, on the grounds that the Chinese government could get access to users’ data. The dispute disrupted the app’s stratospheric rise. ByteDance and the Trump administration are still talking, people familiar with the matter said. But it looks increasingly likely that the fate of the app will not be decided by Trump, who announced his demands with great fanfare over the summer, backed away from a deal he approved a month later and then turned his attention elsewhere. Also read| Germany orders coronavirus drugs that cured Donald Trump Instead, TikTok’s future will fall into the hands of Biden, who has said little about the company or the broader, bipartisan concerns about the growing influence of Chinese technology companies. On Tuesday, the U.S. government agreed to extend a deadline in a court battle over restrictions targeting TikTok. The new deadline is Feb. 18 — almost a month after Biden takes office. “My gut is that they’re hoping to ride this out and hope that this is on the back burner, and they can kind of skirt by under the radar,” Samm Sacks, a fellow at think tank New America, said about ByteDance’s approach to the final days of the Trump administration. Biden has said America must be tougher toward Beijing, calling China’s president, Xi Jinping, a “thug.” But he has offered few details about how that approach would play out. He has said only that he will try to have a more consistent policy toward the country — in contrast to Trump’s patchwork aggression — while pressuring it on issues like its theft of American intellectual property. Also read| Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’ A spokesman for Biden’s transition team declined to comment on the president-elect’s plans. TikTok declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said in a statement that the risks associated with the app “have not changed, and the order requiring the divestiture stands.” The government has been working with ByteDance and others to resolve the concerns, the spokeswoman said, adding, “That work continues, and the attorney general is authorized to take any steps necessary to enforce the order.” TikTok is far from the only company with a stake in Biden’s approach to Chinese technology giants, which have increasingly tried to reach customers around the world. Trump’s administration spent years pressing U.S. carriers and its allies abroad to drop Chinese telecom equipment from 5G wireless networks. It tried to keep crucial equipment from Chinese semiconductor makers. Then it turned its gaze to consumer apps, trying to ban TikTok and WeChat and forcing the sale of dating app Grindr. This month, Trump banned Alipay, owned by a branch of Chinese giant Alibaba, and a collection of other apps. The bans don’t take effect for 45 days, meaning designing and putting them in place will fall to Biden’s administration. Also read| Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’ TikTok has soared in popularity in the last year, particularly among younger users, who record lip-sync videos, comedy bits and riffs on other videos. TikTok says the national security concerns are unfounded, noting that its data is stored in the United States, with a backup in Singapore. Trump’s efforts to pry the service from its Chinese parent company began this summer when he issued two executive orders targeting the app. One barred American firms from working with the app, effectively banning it. A second order demanded that ByteDance sell the app. The approach gave the government leverage: If the company made the sale, the administration would nix the other restrictions. In September, ByteDance announced that it had reached a deal it hoped would satisfy the U.S. government. Software giant Oracle and Walmart would take their own stakes in TikTok, Oracle would manage the data that flows over the app, and leaders at the service would be American citizens. Trump said Sept. 19 that he approved of the deal. But then he backtracked, expressing concerns that it would not put enough of the app’s ownership in American hands. The talks to complete the deal have continued ever since. TikTok received multiple extensions from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a group of federal officials who vet deals involving international companies. The Trump administration decided it would not extend the deadline beyond Dec. 4 but has declined to act on the time limit. Under Trump’s executive order, the Justice Department has the authority to enforce his demands. Federal judges have also put the administration’s ban on hold, eliminating some of its leverage over the app. The government has appealed the rulings. Walmart declined to comment. Oracle did not respond to a request for comment. Some people on ByteDance’s side of the negotiating table believe there are advantages to getting a deal done before Trump leaves. It would give the company more certainty about the app’s future, rather than waiting to see what Biden would do. At the moment, if ByteDance wants to delay a deal beyond the Trump administration, “they don’t have to do anything, and they can outlast him,” said James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that if the administration launched a legal effort to force the sale of the app, ByteDance would “just stall it in court.” But TikTok’s fate under Biden is far from certain. If he wanted to offer TikTok some immediate relief from the pressure, Biden could rescind the executive order that was designed to cut it off from U.S. companies. He could also rescind the order commanding ByteDance to sell the app. Biden’s administration could also consider a wider range of measures, short of an outright sale, to mitigate the federal panel’s concerns about TikTok, experts said. That may take time. The new administration is still staffing important positions that would tackle the issue, meaning it could be months before ByteDance is able to resolve the government’s divestiture order. And without rescinding the policies aimed at TikTok, the Biden administration might find it hard to back down from the government’s defense of those policies in court. Biden could also decide to pursue a harder line against the app as he looks to balance a desire for a coherent China policy with pressure from lawmakers from both parties who worry about the risks associated with Chinese tech companies. While the talks between ByteDance and the government continue in private, TikTok has maintained its lobbying effort to convince government officials they have nothing to fear from the app, which uses the cheery slogan “Make Your Day.” On Dec. 18, the company sent an edition of its email newsletter for policymakers in Washington. It reported that small businesses in Austin, Texas, were using the app to reach customers, that the company was donating $10 million to academic institutions that have public health programs, and that the service had updated its terms of service to better police bullying. The footer of the newsletter ended with the same message it always does: “We hope this made your day.”

Tiktok is poised to outlast Trump and to test Biden

The Trump administration has granted ByteDance a new seven-day extension of a divestiture order that had directed the Chinese company to sell its TikTok short video-sharing app.

The administration had earlier granted ByteDance a 15-day extension of the order issued in August, which was set to expire Friday. The new deadline is December 4.

Under pressure from the American government, ByteDance has been in talks for months to finalise a deal with Walmart Inc and Oracle Corp to shift TikTok's US assets into a new entity.

ByteDance has made a new proposal aimed at addressing the US government’s concerns, said a person briefed on the matter who declined to detail that proposal.

The Tiktok owner made the proposal after disclosing on November 10 that it had submitted four prior proposals including one in November that sought to address US concerns by "creating a new entity, wholly owned by Oracle, Walmart and existing US investors in ByteDance, that would be responsible for handling TikTok’s US user data and content moderation."

The Trump administration has granted ByteDance a new seven-day extension of a divestiture order that had directed the Chinese company to sell its TikTok short video-sharing app.

The Trump administration has granted ByteDance a new seven-day extension of a divestiture order that had directed the Chinese company to sell its TikTok short video-sharing app. The administration had earlier granted ByteDance a 15-day extension of the order issued in August, which was set to expire Friday. The new deadline is December 4. Under pressure from the American government, ByteDance has been in talks for months to finalise a deal with Walmart Inc and Oracle Corp to shift TikTok's US assets into a new entity. ByteDance has made a new proposal aimed at addressing the US government’s concerns, said a person briefed on the matter who declined to detail that proposal. The Tiktok owner made the proposal after disclosing on November 10 that it had submitted four prior proposals including one in November that sought to address US concerns by "creating a new entity, wholly owned by Oracle, Walmart and existing US investors in ByteDance, that would be responsible for handling TikTok’s US user data and content moderation."

US grants Tiktok owner ByteDance new extension of sale order

ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of video-sharing app TikTok, filed a petition late Tuesday with a US Appeals Court challenging Donald Trump's order to divest the app within 90 days.

China's ByteDance challenges Trump's TikTok order

Chinese video sharing app TikTok has promised to put more resources in Pakistan to improve its services after the authorities here blocked it over "indecent content", a media report said on Sunday.

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, regretted that its services remain suspended in Pakistan more than a week after the country's telecommunication authority banned it over its contents, the Express Tribune reported.

"TikTok's mission is to inspire creativity and joy, and that's just what we've done in Pakistan. We've built a community whose creativity and passion has brought joy to households across Pakistan and opened vital economic opportunities to incredibly talented creators,? the company said on Saturday.

It said that though the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acknowledged and appreciated these efforts, TikTok's services remain blocked in the country and the PTA had not communicated with the company about how to resolve the issue.

"We continue to hope that our productive dialogue with the PTA can bring assurance of the government's commitment to a stable, enabling environment whereby we can explore investing further in the market, including in the inspiring talent we've seen thrive on TikTok," it said.

It promised to reallocate resources to improve its system. "If the government of Pakistan decides to reopen access to our services in the future, we can assess our allocation of resources to this market,? the company said.

The company said its users and creators in Pakistan are still unable to access TikTok, more than one week after our services were blocked by the PTA.

"After TikTok was blocked in Pakistan, we continued to engage with the PTA to demonstrate our commitment to comply with local laws and further enhance our content moderation capacity,? ByteDance further said.

The company said it made concerted efforts over the last one year to address questions from the government of Pakistan around the content moderation process, including significantly increasing the capacity of the local language content moderation team.

ByteDance regretted that it's unfortunate that Pakistan's vibrant online community is still unable to showcase their talent and creativity to our hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

The popular platform allows users to create short music, lip-sync, dance, comedy and talent videos of 3 to 15 seconds, and short looping videos of 3 to 60 seconds.&nbsp;

Chinese video sharing app TikTok has promised to put more resources in Pakistan to improve its services after the authorities here blocked it over "indecent content", a media report said on Sunday.

Chinese video sharing app TikTok has promised to put more resources in Pakistan to improve its services after the authorities here blocked it over "indecent content", a media report said on Sunday. ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, regretted that its services remain suspended in Pakistan more than a week after the country's telecommunication authority banned it over its contents, the Express Tribune reported. "TikTok's mission is to inspire creativity and joy, and that's just what we've done in Pakistan. We've built a community whose creativity and passion has brought joy to households across Pakistan and opened vital economic opportunities to incredibly talented creators,? the company said on Saturday. It said that though the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acknowledged and appreciated these efforts, TikTok's services remain blocked in the country and the PTA had not communicated with the company about how to resolve the issue. "We continue to hope that our productive dialogue with the PTA can bring assurance of the government's commitment to a stable, enabling environment whereby we can explore investing further in the market, including in the inspiring talent we've seen thrive on TikTok," it said. It promised to reallocate resources to improve its system. "If the government of Pakistan decides to reopen access to our services in the future, we can assess our allocation of resources to this market,? the company said. The company said its users and creators in Pakistan are still unable to access TikTok, more than one week after our services were blocked by the PTA. "After TikTok was blocked in Pakistan, we continued to engage with the PTA to demonstrate our commitment to comply with local laws and further enhance our content moderation capacity,? ByteDance further said. The company said it made concerted efforts over the last one year to address questions from the government of Pakistan around the content moderation process, including significantly increasing the capacity of the local language content moderation team. ByteDance regretted that it's unfortunate that Pakistan's vibrant online community is still unable to showcase their talent and creativity to our hundreds of millions of users worldwide. The popular platform allows users to create short music, lip-sync, dance, comedy and talent videos of 3 to 15 seconds, and short looping videos of 3 to 60 seconds.

Chinese firm ByteDance to reallocate resources if Pakistan unblocks TikTok

The chinese short-video app TikTok is requesting a&nbsp;federal court to block the US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> from banning the app in the US.

TikTok has alleged that Trump is using their app as an agenda to further his campaign for the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a>, scheduled for November 03.

The lawyers will be advocating their case in front of the judges on Thursday in which they will be arguing to prove that Trump has been using the TikTok ban issue as a motive to further his agenda in the US elections and woo the right-wing audience, rather than worrying about 'national security'.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/us-tv-shows-try-a-new-election-playbook-making-voting-part-of-the-story-329808">Also read:&nbsp;US TV shows try a new election playbook: making voting part of the story</a>

Trump, on the other hand, states that the only reason he wants to ban the app is because he is worried the Chinese parent company ByteDance has been breaching the privacy of the billions of users and providing data to the Chinese government.

The issue was raised by trump after the two countries — China and US — started a diplomatic and wordly war citing security concerns which has resulted in corporations and journalists bearing the heat of it.

The President had announced that he will be willing to let the app entertain its millions of American users only if ByteDance gives up the control over its US operations and let an American company take control. TikTok offered a deal with Oracle and Walmart as its partners. The deal, which earlier got 'blessings' from Trump, has not been approved yet as Trump has vowed to block every offered deal if ByteDance holds majority shares.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-refuses-to-commit-on-peaceful-transition-of-power-after-us-elections-329798">Also read:&nbsp;Trump refuses to commit on peaceful transition of power after US elections</a>

As per the latest deal offered, Oracle Corp was to take over as the data partner and the&nbsp;retail giant Walmart would have held minority shares in the new entity being set up under the name of TikTok Global.

Trump, known for his indecisiveness, had earlier unofficially announced his intentions of agreeing with the deal. However, he later told Fox News in an interview that ByteDance&nbsp;"will have nothing to do with it, and if they do, then we just won't make the deal."

He further explained that he would be oka with the deal only if&nbsp;Oracle and Walmart "are going to own the controlling interest. Everything is going to be moved into a cloud done by Oracle... and it's going to be controlled — totally controlled by Oracle."

Now, as per the new case filed by tikTok in a federal court,&nbsp;the US government's conduct has been "arbitrary and capricious in multiple respects." The social media giant argues that Trump's repeated tries of banning the app violates the Constitution.

ANother reason why Trump wants to ban the app is because of the reports that claimed that&nbsp;some <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/k-pop-fans-and-tiktok-users-played-trump-hundreds-of-seats-remain-empty-in-tulsa-rally-307532">TikTok users and K-Pop fans pranked Trump</a> and registered for free tickets for his Tulsa campaign rally. However, close to zero showed up to the rally, leaving hundreds of seats vacant. Some believe this might be another reason for Trump wanting the app to be banned before the upcoming&nbsp;US elections.

The chinese short-video app TikTok is requesting a federal court to block the US President Donald Trump from banning the app in the US. TikTok has alleged that Trump is using their app as an agenda to further his campaign for the upcoming US elections, scheduled for November 03.

The chinese short-video app TikTok is requesting a federal court to block the US President Donald Trump from banning the app in the US. TikTok has alleged that Trump is using their app as an agenda to further his campaign for the upcoming US elections, scheduled for November 03. The lawyers will be advocating their case in front of the judges on Thursday in which they will be arguing to prove that Trump has been using the TikTok ban issue as a motive to further his agenda in the US elections and woo the right-wing audience, rather than worrying about 'national security'. Also read: US TV shows try a new election playbook: making voting part of the story Trump, on the other hand, states that the only reason he wants to ban the app is because he is worried the Chinese parent company ByteDance has been breaching the privacy of the billions of users and providing data to the Chinese government. The issue was raised by trump after the two countries — China and US — started a diplomatic and wordly war citing security concerns which has resulted in corporations and journalists bearing the heat of it. The President had announced that he will be willing to let the app entertain its millions of American users only if ByteDance gives up the control over its US operations and let an American company take control. TikTok offered a deal with Oracle and Walmart as its partners. The deal, which earlier got 'blessings' from Trump, has not been approved yet as Trump has vowed to block every offered deal if ByteDance holds majority shares. Also read: Trump refuses to commit on peaceful transition of power after US elections As per the latest deal offered, Oracle Corp was to take over as the data partner and the retail giant Walmart would have held minority shares in the new entity being set up under the name of TikTok Global. Trump, known for his indecisiveness, had earlier unofficially announced his intentions of agreeing with the deal. However, he later told Fox News in an interview that ByteDance "will have nothing to do with it, and if they do, then we just won't make the deal." He further explained that he would be oka with the deal only if Oracle and Walmart "are going to own the controlling interest. Everything is going to be moved into a cloud done by Oracle... and it's going to be controlled — totally controlled by Oracle." Now, as per the new case filed by tikTok in a federal court, the US government's conduct has been "arbitrary and capricious in multiple respects." The social media giant argues that Trump's repeated tries of banning the app violates the Constitution. ANother reason why Trump wants to ban the app is because of the reports that claimed that some TikTok users and K-Pop fans pranked Trump and registered for free tickets for his Tulsa campaign rally. However, close to zero showed up to the rally, leaving hundreds of seats vacant. Some believe this might be another reason for Trump wanting the app to be banned before the upcoming US elections.

TikTok asks court to block Trump's ban claiming it to be US elections' agenda

TikTok's owner ByteDance&nbsp;said Thursday it has applied for a Chinese technology export license as it tries to complete a deal with Oracle and Walmart to keep the popular video app operating in the United States.&nbsp;

The Chinese&nbsp;firm submitted the application to Beijing's municipal commerce bureau and is awaiting a decision.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-asks-court-to-block-trumps-ban-claiming-it-to-be-us-elections-agenda-329813">TikTok asks court to block Trump's ban claiming it to be US elections' agenda</a>

The application comes about a month after China revised its list of technologies subject to export bans or restrictions for the first time in 12 years, in a manner which experts said gave the government a say over any TikTok deal. It can take up to 30 days to obtain preliminary approval to export such technology.

Chinese commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng told reporters on Thursday that the application has been received and would be handled in accordance with relevant regulations and procedures.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beijing-unlikely-to-approve-bytedances-tiktok-deal-with-oracle-report-says-329318/amp">Beijing unlikely to approve ByteDance's TikTok deal with Oracle, report says</a>

ByteDance has said its deal with Oracle and Walmart will see the creation of a standalone US&nbsp;company and does not involve any transfer of technology, though Oracle will be able to inspect TikTok US&nbsp;source code.

It has also said the deal needs approval from both China and the United States.

However, the companies have issued conflicting statements over the terms of the agreement they reached with the White House.

ByteDance said it will establish a US&nbsp;subsidiary called TikTok Global of which it will own 80 per cent.

Oracle and WalMart, however, said majority ownership of TikTok Global would be in American hands, complying with an August&nbsp;14 executive order by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump that ByteDance relinquish ownership of TikTok within 90 days.

Chinese state media outlets China Daily and the Global Times this week said they see no reason for China to approve the deal that Oracle and Walmart said they have struck with ByteDance, calling it based on "bullying and extortion".

TikTok's experience is "a textbook example of the United States' modern-day piracy and tech bullying," Chinese state news agency Xinhua said in an English-language commentary on Thursday, adding that national security concerns that Washington has expressed over TikTok are "nothing but a fig leaf".

"It is time that other countries saw through the outrageous farce of the TikTok drama, knew what is really at stake, and joined hands to oppose such blatant robberies and maintain a fair global business environment," it said.

TikTok asked a US&nbsp;judge on Wednesday to block an order from Trump's administration that would require Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google to remove its short video-sharing app for new downloads from Sunday.

In response to a question on TikTok's request, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday said China supports companies' use of relevant legal weapons to uphold their rights.

TikTok's owner ByteDance said Thursday it has applied for a Chinese technology export license as it tries to complete a deal with Oracle and Walmart to keep the popular video app operating in the United States.

TikTok's owner ByteDance said Thursday it has applied for a Chinese technology export license as it tries to complete a deal with Oracle and Walmart to keep the popular video app operating in the United States. The Chinese firm submitted the application to Beijing's municipal commerce bureau and is awaiting a decision. Also read: TikTok asks court to block Trump's ban claiming it to be US elections' agenda The application comes about a month after China revised its list of technologies subject to export bans or restrictions for the first time in 12 years, in a manner which experts said gave the government a say over any TikTok deal. It can take up to 30 days to obtain preliminary approval to export such technology. Chinese commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng told reporters on Thursday that the application has been received and would be handled in accordance with relevant regulations and procedures. Also read: Beijing unlikely to approve ByteDance's TikTok deal with Oracle, report says ByteDance has said its deal with Oracle and Walmart will see the creation of a standalone US company and does not involve any transfer of technology, though Oracle will be able to inspect TikTok US source code. It has also said the deal needs approval from both China and the United States. However, the companies have issued conflicting statements over the terms of the agreement they reached with the White House. ByteDance said it will establish a US subsidiary called TikTok Global of which it will own 80 per cent. Oracle and WalMart, however, said majority ownership of TikTok Global would be in American hands, complying with an August 14 executive order by US President Donald Trump that ByteDance relinquish ownership of TikTok within 90 days. Chinese state media outlets China Daily and the Global Times this week said they see no reason for China to approve the deal that Oracle and Walmart said they have struck with ByteDance, calling it based on "bullying and extortion". TikTok's experience is "a textbook example of the United States' modern-day piracy and tech bullying," Chinese state news agency Xinhua said in an English-language commentary on Thursday, adding that national security concerns that Washington has expressed over TikTok are "nothing but a fig leaf". "It is time that other countries saw through the outrageous farce of the TikTok drama, knew what is really at stake, and joined hands to oppose such blatant robberies and maintain a fair global business environment," it said. TikTok asked a US judge on Wednesday to block an order from Trump's administration that would require Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google to remove its short video-sharing app for new downloads from Sunday. In response to a question on TikTok's request, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday said China supports companies' use of relevant legal weapons to uphold their rights.

TikTok's owner ByteDance applies for Chinese license to close US deal

The Chinese government is unlikely to approve the deal China's ByteDance has struck with Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc over the future of its video-streaming app TikTok in the United States.

ByteDance has said it will create a US subsidiary partly owned by American majors Oracle and Walmart to pacify the administration of President Donald Trump which had planned to ban TikTok on security grounds.

"It is clear that these articles (terms) extensively show Washington's bullying style and hooligan logic. They hurt China's national security, interests and dignity," said a Global Times report.

The Global Times is a tabloid published by the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, but does not speak on behalf of the party and government unlike its parent publication.

The article's unidentified author objected to a requirement that four of the five board seats of TikTok Global be occupied by Americans and only one reserved for a Chinese national, as well as the inclusion of a US-approved "national security director".

It also denounced a requirement that ByteDance reveal TikTok's source code to Oracle as part of the latter's stake purchase, as well as the separate management of TikTok from Chinese equivalent Douyin.

"As TikTok and Douyin should have the same source code, this means the US can get to know the operations of Douyin," the editorial continued.

"If the reorganisation of TikTok under US manipulation becomes a model, it means once any successful Chinese company expands its business to the US and becomes competitive, it will be targeted by the US and turned into a US-controlled company via trickery and coercion, which eventually serves only US interests," the author wrote.

ByteDance and Oracle have announced they had reached a deal that would satisfy Trump's call for TikTok to be sold to an American buyer or face shutdown in the United States.

However, both sides have framed the deal differently in public statements.

ByteDance has said TikTok Global will be its subsidiary of which it will own 80%, while Oracle has said the former's ownership would be distributed to its investors, many of which are US-based and that the Beijing-based firm itself would have no stake in TikTok Global.

The Chinese government is unlikely to approve the deal China's ByteDance has struck with Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc over the future of its video-streaming app TikTok in the United States.

The Chinese government is unlikely to approve the deal China's ByteDance has struck with Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc over the future of its video-streaming app TikTok in the United States. ByteDance has said it will create a US subsidiary partly owned by American majors Oracle and Walmart to pacify the administration of President Donald Trump which had planned to ban TikTok on security grounds. "It is clear that these articles (terms) extensively show Washington's bullying style and hooligan logic. They hurt China's national security, interests and dignity," said a Global Times report. The Global Times is a tabloid published by the People's Daily, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party, but does not speak on behalf of the party and government unlike its parent publication. The article's unidentified author objected to a requirement that four of the five board seats of TikTok Global be occupied by Americans and only one reserved for a Chinese national, as well as the inclusion of a US-approved "national security director". It also denounced a requirement that ByteDance reveal TikTok's source code to Oracle as part of the latter's stake purchase, as well as the separate management of TikTok from Chinese equivalent Douyin. "As TikTok and Douyin should have the same source code, this means the US can get to know the operations of Douyin," the editorial continued. "If the reorganisation of TikTok under US manipulation becomes a model, it means once any successful Chinese company expands its business to the US and becomes competitive, it will be targeted by the US and turned into a US-controlled company via trickery and coercion, which eventually serves only US interests," the author wrote. ByteDance and Oracle have announced they had reached a deal that would satisfy Trump's call for TikTok to be sold to an American buyer or face shutdown in the United States. However, both sides have framed the deal differently in public statements. ByteDance has said TikTok Global will be its subsidiary of which it will own 80%, while Oracle has said the former's ownership would be distributed to its investors, many of which are US-based and that the Beijing-based firm itself would have no stake in TikTok Global.

Beijing unlikely to approve ByteDance's TikTok deal with Oracle, report says

China`s ByteDance said on Monday that TikTok`s global business will become its subsidiary, even as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc said over the weekend that they and U.S. investors would own the majority of the video app following a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump`s administration.

Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 14 giving ByteDance 90 days to sell TikTok, amid concerns that the personal data of as many as 100 million Americans that use the app could be passed on to China`s Communist Party government. On Saturday, he said he supported a deal in principle that would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States.

Accounts of the deal differ. ByteDance said on Monday that it will own 80% of TikTok Global, a newly created U.S. company that will own most of the app`s operations worldwide. Oracle and Walmart, which have agreed to take stakes in TikTok Global of 12.5% and 7.5% respectively, had said on Saturday that majority ownership of TikTok would be in American hands.

ByteDance said in its statement on Monday that it was a "rumor" that U.S. investors would be TikTok Global`s majority owners. Oracle declined to comment on ByteDance`s statement, while Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.

Some sources close to the deal have sought to reconcile the discrepancy by pointing out that 41% of ByteDance is owned by U.S. investors, so by counting this indirect ownership TikTok Global would be majority owned by U.S. parties.

One of the sources said the deal with Oracle and Walmart values TikTok Global at more than $50 billion.

TikTok also confirmed plans for an initial public offering of TikTok Global. The Beijing-based firm said TikTok Global`s board of directors will include ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming as well as Walmart`s chief executive Doug McMillon and current directors of ByteDance.

The current plan for TikTok Global does not involve any transfer of algorithms or technologies, and Oracle will be able to inspect TikTok U.S.`s source code, ByteDance said. This is akin to U.S. companies such as Microsoft Corp sharing their source code with Chinese technology experts, ByteDance added.

ByteDance also said a $5 billion payment reportedly to be made to the U.S. Treasury by TikTok Global is based on estimated income and other taxes the company will need to pay over the next few years and has nothing to do with the deal reached with Oracle and Walmart. Trump last week had said there would be a $5 billion U.S. education fund as part of the deal.

China`s ByteDance said on Monday that TikTok`s global business will become its subsidiary, even as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc said over the weekend that they and U.

China`s ByteDance said on Monday that TikTok`s global business will become its subsidiary, even as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc said over the weekend that they and U.S. investors would own the majority of the video app following a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump`s administration. Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 14 giving ByteDance 90 days to sell TikTok, amid concerns that the personal data of as many as 100 million Americans that use the app could be passed on to China`s Communist Party government. On Saturday, he said he supported a deal in principle that would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States. Accounts of the deal differ. ByteDance said on Monday that it will own 80% of TikTok Global, a newly created U.S. company that will own most of the app`s operations worldwide. Oracle and Walmart, which have agreed to take stakes in TikTok Global of 12.5% and 7.5% respectively, had said on Saturday that majority ownership of TikTok would be in American hands. ByteDance said in its statement on Monday that it was a "rumor" that U.S. investors would be TikTok Global`s majority owners. Oracle declined to comment on ByteDance`s statement, while Walmart did not respond to a request for comment. Some sources close to the deal have sought to reconcile the discrepancy by pointing out that 41% of ByteDance is owned by U.S. investors, so by counting this indirect ownership TikTok Global would be majority owned by U.S. parties. One of the sources said the deal with Oracle and Walmart values TikTok Global at more than $50 billion. TikTok also confirmed plans for an initial public offering of TikTok Global. The Beijing-based firm said TikTok Global`s board of directors will include ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming as well as Walmart`s chief executive Doug McMillon and current directors of ByteDance. The current plan for TikTok Global does not involve any transfer of algorithms or technologies, and Oracle will be able to inspect TikTok U.S.`s source code, ByteDance said. This is akin to U.S. companies such as Microsoft Corp sharing their source code with Chinese technology experts, ByteDance added. ByteDance also said a $5 billion payment reportedly to be made to the U.S. Treasury by TikTok Global is based on estimated income and other taxes the company will need to pay over the next few years and has nothing to do with the deal reached with Oracle and Walmart. Trump last week had said there would be a $5 billion U.S. education fund as part of the deal.

China's ByteDance says TikTok will be its subsidiary under deal with Trump

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration would not approve the sale of TikTok to Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc if TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance retained any control.

Asked in an interview whether ByteDance would still have any involvement, he said that "they will have nothing to do with it and if they do, then we just won't make the deal."

He added Oracle and Walmart "are going to have total control over it. They're going to own the controling interest... If we find they don't have total control, then we're not going to approve the deal."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-bytedance-says-tiktok-will-be-its-subsidiary-under-deal-with-trump-329041" hreflang="en">China's ByteDance says TikTok will be its subsidiary under deal with Trump</a>

TikTok,&nbsp;which became a global phenomenon with its brand of short, addictive phone videos,&nbsp;has come under fire in recent months as tensions escalate between China and the west.

Trump has claimed&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;is collecting user data for China's Communist Party, and&nbsp;signed an executive order&nbsp;on August&nbsp;14 giving ByteDance until September 20&nbsp;to hand over&nbsp;TikTok's US operations to an American company.

ByteDance, under pressure in China not to give in to US demands, set out to clarify "rumours" on Monday after details of the deal were announced. It said the current plan "does not involve the transfer of any algorithms and technologies".

While Oracle has the authority to check the source code of&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;in the US, ByteDance said displaying the source code is a way for multinationals to allay local data security concerns.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration would not approve the sale of TikTok to Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc if TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance retained any control.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration would not approve the sale of TikTok to Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc if TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance retained any control. Asked in an interview whether ByteDance would still have any involvement, he said that "they will have nothing to do with it and if they do, then we just won't make the deal." He added Oracle and Walmart "are going to have total control over it. They're going to own the controling interest... If we find they don't have total control, then we're not going to approve the deal." Also read: China's ByteDance says TikTok will be its subsidiary under deal with Trump TikTok, which became a global phenomenon with its brand of short, addictive phone videos, has come under fire in recent months as tensions escalate between China and the west. Trump has claimed TikTok is collecting user data for China's Communist Party, and signed an executive order on August 14 giving ByteDance until September 20 to hand over TikTok's US operations to an American company. ByteDance, under pressure in China not to give in to US demands, set out to clarify "rumours" on Monday after details of the deal were announced. It said the current plan "does not involve the transfer of any algorithms and technologies". While Oracle has the authority to check the source code of TikTok in the US, ByteDance said displaying the source code is a way for multinationals to allay local data security concerns.

No TikTok deal if China's ByteDance maintains control, says Trump

The TikTok debacle seems to be coming to an end as the Chinese company has proposed for Oracle to be its US technology provider and Walmart as a commercial partner.

This decision has been taken after weeks of closed-door meetings, proposals and legal wars after the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;ordered a ban on the Chinese app <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tiktok">TikTok</a>&nbsp;citing national security concerns.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-asks-us-to-stop-bullying-after-trump-bans-tiktok-and-wechat-threatens-retaliation-328547">Also read:&nbsp;China asks US to stop 'bullying' after Trump bans TikTok and WeChat; threatens retaliation</a>

"We are pleased that the proposal by TikTok, Oracle, and Walmart will resolve the security concerns of the US Administration and settle questions around TikTok's future in the US," a spokeswoman for TikTok said.

The deal has been proposed to the Trump administration but has not received an official yes yet. However, Trump had earlier, while talking to reporters, hailed this deal as "fantastic".

"I have given the deal my blessing," Trump said. "I approve the deal in concept."

As per the new deal, ByteDance will be setting up a new portion called TikTok Global in which the US shareholders are expected to control 53 per cent of the shares, and the Chinese investors will hold 36 per cent. While it is not yet finalised which company will be the majority share holder, Oracle is rumoured to hold 12.5 per cent of the TikTok Global shares.

Trump has claimed that the new company will be based in Texas and hire nearly 25,000 people. He has also reportedly claimed that the new company will be contributing nearly $5 billion to a fund dedicated to education for Americans.

"Well, we have a deal worked out I think with Wal-Mart is going to buy it, along with Oracle, Larry Ellison. It's going to be an incredible combination and I said, you know, do me a favour, could you put up 5 billion dollars into a fund for education so we can educate people as to real history of our country? The real history. Not the fake history. Because we're getting very close to that deal and all of the technology will be maintained here. They're going to move probably to the great state of Texas. Sorry, we've got you (North Carolina) a lot of business, but we couldn't...but they're going to move into the United States, which is what's important, move it to the United States. Unbelievable company. They're going to have 25,000 jobs if it all goes. I gave them the preliminary approval," he told local reporters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-not-happy-with-oracle-having-minority-shares-in-tiktok-328040">Also Read:&nbsp;Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok</a>

The unofficial agreement has come after weeks of declining all other deal that the Chinese parent company ByteDance proposed.

The US Treasure has said, "Oracle will be responsible for key technology and security responsibilities to protect all U.S. user data. Approval of the transaction is subject to a closing with Oracle and Walmart and necessary documentation and conditions to be approved by" the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Considering the new deal, the US Commerce Department has extended the deadline of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-ban-tiktok-and-wechat-downloads-from-september-20-328428">US ban</a> of the popular short-video sharing app.&nbsp;

However,&nbsp;the deal still has to go through the official nods by China and the US.

The TikTok debacle seems to be coming to an end as the Chinese company has proposed for Oracle to be its US technology provider and Walmart as a commercial partner.

The TikTok debacle seems to be coming to an end as the Chinese company has proposed for Oracle to be its US technology provider and Walmart as a commercial partner. This decision has been taken after weeks of closed-door meetings, proposals and legal wars after the US President Donald Trump ordered a ban on the Chinese app TikTok citing national security concerns. Also read: China asks US to stop 'bullying' after Trump bans TikTok and WeChat; threatens retaliation "We are pleased that the proposal by TikTok, Oracle, and Walmart will resolve the security concerns of the US Administration and settle questions around TikTok's future in the US," a spokeswoman for TikTok said. The deal has been proposed to the Trump administration but has not received an official yes yet. However, Trump had earlier, while talking to reporters, hailed this deal as "fantastic". "I have given the deal my blessing," Trump said. "I approve the deal in concept." As per the new deal, ByteDance will be setting up a new portion called TikTok Global in which the US shareholders are expected to control 53 per cent of the shares, and the Chinese investors will hold 36 per cent. While it is not yet finalised which company will be the majority share holder, Oracle is rumoured to hold 12.5 per cent of the TikTok Global shares. Trump has claimed that the new company will be based in Texas and hire nearly 25,000 people. He has also reportedly claimed that the new company will be contributing nearly $5 billion to a fund dedicated to education for Americans. "Well, we have a deal worked out I think with Wal-Mart is going to buy it, along with Oracle, Larry Ellison. It's going to be an incredible combination and I said, you know, do me a favour, could you put up 5 billion dollars into a fund for education so we can educate people as to real history of our country? The real history. Not the fake history. Because we're getting very close to that deal and all of the technology will be maintained here. They're going to move probably to the great state of Texas. Sorry, we've got you (North Carolina) a lot of business, but we couldn't...but they're going to move into the United States, which is what's important, move it to the United States. Unbelievable company. They're going to have 25,000 jobs if it all goes. I gave them the preliminary approval," he told local reporters. Also Read: Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok The unofficial agreement has come after weeks of declining all other deal that the Chinese parent company ByteDance proposed. The US Treasure has said, "Oracle will be responsible for key technology and security responsibilities to protect all U.S. user data. Approval of the transaction is subject to a closing with Oracle and Walmart and necessary documentation and conditions to be approved by" the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Considering the new deal, the US Commerce Department has extended the deadline of the US ban of the popular short-video sharing app. However, the deal still has to go through the official nods by China and the US.

TikTok proposes new deal with Oracle and Walmart; Trump gives his blessings

China's ByteDance Ltd is seeking a valuation of $60 billion for TikTok as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc take stakes in the short-video app's business to address US security concerns.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he supported a deal in principle would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States, even as it appeared to conflict with his earlier executive order for China's ByteDance to divest the video app.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-proposes-new-deal-with-oracle-and-walmart-trump-gives-his-blessings-328746">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok proposes new deal with Oracle and Walmart; Trump gives his blessings</a>

According to a report published by Bloomberg News on Sunday, Oracle will take a 12.5% stake in TikTok Global and store all its user data in its cloud to comply with US national security requirements.&nbsp;

Retail giant Walmart said it would take a 7.5% stake.

The two companies would pay a combined $12 billion for their stakes if they agree to a $60 billion asking price, Bloomberg reported.

The final valuation had not been set as the companies worked out the equity structure and measures for data security.

ByteDance was racing to avoid a crackdown on TikTok after the US Commerce Department said on Friday that it would block new downloads and updates to the app from Sunday.

US officials had expressed concern that the personal data of as many as 100 million Americans that use the app were being passed on to China's Communist Party government.

China's ByteDance Ltd is seeking a valuation of $60 billion for TikTok as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc take stakes in the short-video app's business to address US security concerns.

China's ByteDance Ltd is seeking a valuation of $60 billion for TikTok as Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc take stakes in the short-video app's business to address US security concerns. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he supported a deal in principle would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States, even as it appeared to conflict with his earlier executive order for China's ByteDance to divest the video app. Also read | TikTok proposes new deal with Oracle and Walmart; Trump gives his blessings According to a report published by Bloomberg News on Sunday, Oracle will take a 12.5% stake in TikTok Global and store all its user data in its cloud to comply with US national security requirements. Retail giant Walmart said it would take a 7.5% stake. The two companies would pay a combined $12 billion for their stakes if they agree to a $60 billion asking price, Bloomberg reported. The final valuation had not been set as the companies worked out the equity structure and measures for data security. ByteDance was racing to avoid a crackdown on TikTok after the US Commerce Department said on Friday that it would block new downloads and updates to the app from Sunday. US officials had expressed concern that the personal data of as many as 100 million Americans that use the app were being passed on to China's Communist Party government.

China's ByteDance seeks $60 billion TikTok valuation in US deal, report says

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the popular video-sharing app TikTok, is inching towards the deadline of selling its US shares to an American company. However, TikTok has not been able to secure a deal with any company yet.

Rumours had it that Microsoft will be taking over the US shares of the company, but that deal fell out after weeks of planning and research. Oracle Corp, now, will be holding the minority shares in the company. However, that deal does not play well with the US President Donald Trump — who implemented the ban.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bytedance-says-china-will-have-to-approve-its-us-tiktok-deal-328151">Also read:&nbsp;ByteDance says China will have to approve its US TikTok deal</a>

Now, people working closely in this matter have told the local agencies that TikTok is planning to offer an initial public offering of TikTok Global. The plans will be finalised only after the Trump administration agrees to the already proposed deal by TikTok.

This new company&nbsp;will have a majority of American directors, a US chief executive and a security expert on the board — the company hopes this will be in agreement with Trump.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-not-happy-with-oracle-having-minority-shares-in-tiktok-328040">Also read:&nbsp;Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok</a>

Donal Trump had, yesterday, expressed discomfort with Oracle holding minority shares in TikTok's new deal, especially after several lawmakers advised him to not take the deal.

The new deal will give Oracle and Walmart a chance to get a seat in the board of the new and US-based TikTok Global, with Oracle owning a 20 per cent stake in the company.

The final details of the deal will be revealed soon. As of now, Trump has provided no details except saying,&nbsp;"nothing much has changed."

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the popular video-sharing app TikTok, is inching towards the deadline of selling its US shares to an American company. However, TikTok has not been able to secure a deal with any company yet.

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the popular video-sharing app TikTok, is inching towards the deadline of selling its US shares to an American company. However, TikTok has not been able to secure a deal with any company yet. Rumours had it that Microsoft will be taking over the US shares of the company, but that deal fell out after weeks of planning and research. Oracle Corp, now, will be holding the minority shares in the company. However, that deal does not play well with the US President Donald Trump — who implemented the ban. Also read: ByteDance says China will have to approve its US TikTok deal Now, people working closely in this matter have told the local agencies that TikTok is planning to offer an initial public offering of TikTok Global. The plans will be finalised only after the Trump administration agrees to the already proposed deal by TikTok. This new company will have a majority of American directors, a US chief executive and a security expert on the board — the company hopes this will be in agreement with Trump. Also read: Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok Donal Trump had, yesterday, expressed discomfort with Oracle holding minority shares in TikTok's new deal, especially after several lawmakers advised him to not take the deal. The new deal will give Oracle and Walmart a chance to get a seat in the board of the new and US-based TikTok Global, with Oracle owning a 20 per cent stake in the company. The final details of the deal will be revealed soon. As of now, Trump has provided no details except saying, "nothing much has changed."

TikTok plans US IPO; hopes to launch TikTok Global for US operations

TikTok's deadline to sell its US shares is fast approaching,&nbsp;but the deal has still not been finalised. Hoewever, the US President&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has made it clear that the Chinese-owned company will not get any extensions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsofts-offer-to-buy-tiktok-rejected-oracle-likely-to-partner-327307">After Microsoft's bid was rejected</a> after extended talks between between the America-based tech giant Microsoft and the Chinese parent company ByteDance, news about Oracle Corp partnering with ByteDance started making the headines.

However, that deal may be in danger too as Trump has raised questions about this deal as he is not in favour of a Chinese company sharing the deal.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oracle-very-close-to-deal-on-tiktok-donald-trump-327804">Also read|&nbsp;Oracle ‘very close’ to deal on TikTok: Donald Trump</a>

As per the deal, ByteDance may keep a majority of the US operations, and Trump's administration has warned him against it. He said he is aware about the ongoing deal but is not happy with the idea of the Chinese firm retaining the majority control.

Senator Marco Rubio and five other Republican senators on Wednesday urged the administration to reject the deal as long as ties remained to Chinese owner ByteDance, and asked the President to block the proposal.

"Conceptually, I can tell you that I don't like that," Trump told reporters. "I'm not prepared to sign off on anything. They're going to be reporting to me tomorrow morning and I'll let you know."

Senator Ted Cruz, too, has opposed the Oracle deal claiming it undermines the President's executive orders and raises questions about national security.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/youtube-officially-launches-its-own-tiktok-competitor-327616">Also read|&nbsp;YouTube officially launches its own TikTok competitor</a>

"We remain opposed to any deal that would allow China-based or controlled entities to retain, control or modify the code or algorithms that operate any US-based version of TikTok," Senator Marco Rubio wrote.

"We are heartened that this deal still requires government approval, and if reports indicating this proposed deal will retain links to ByteDance or other Chinese-controlled entities, we strongly urge the administration to reject such a proposal on national security grounds," he added.

Lawmakers fear if Oracle gets minority shares and ByteDance continues to own majority shares, the alleged practice of continuing to supply data to China will not stop.

However, this decision is coming very close to the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a> that are few weeks away. Donald Trump, who is competing against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, would not want to make his young voters, who are addicted to TikTok, to feel alienated and be angry at him.

The decision to allow TikTok to continue will partially hold the power to decide whether or not Trump gets majority votes this November.

TikTok's deadline to sell its US shares is fast approaching, but the deal has still not been finalised. Hoewever, the US President Donald Trump has made it clear that the Chinese-owned company will not get any extensions.

TikTok's deadline to sell its US shares is fast approaching, but the deal has still not been finalised. Hoewever, the US President Donald Trump has made it clear that the Chinese-owned company will not get any extensions. After Microsoft's bid was rejected after extended talks between between the America-based tech giant Microsoft and the Chinese parent company ByteDance, news about Oracle Corp partnering with ByteDance started making the headines. However, that deal may be in danger too as Trump has raised questions about this deal as he is not in favour of a Chinese company sharing the deal. Also read| Oracle ‘very close’ to deal on TikTok: Donald Trump As per the deal, ByteDance may keep a majority of the US operations, and Trump's administration has warned him against it. He said he is aware about the ongoing deal but is not happy with the idea of the Chinese firm retaining the majority control. Senator Marco Rubio and five other Republican senators on Wednesday urged the administration to reject the deal as long as ties remained to Chinese owner ByteDance, and asked the President to block the proposal. "Conceptually, I can tell you that I don't like that," Trump told reporters. "I'm not prepared to sign off on anything. They're going to be reporting to me tomorrow morning and I'll let you know." Senator Ted Cruz, too, has opposed the Oracle deal claiming it undermines the President's executive orders and raises questions about national security. Also read| YouTube officially launches its own TikTok competitor "We remain opposed to any deal that would allow China-based or controlled entities to retain, control or modify the code or algorithms that operate any US-based version of TikTok," Senator Marco Rubio wrote. "We are heartened that this deal still requires government approval, and if reports indicating this proposed deal will retain links to ByteDance or other Chinese-controlled entities, we strongly urge the administration to reject such a proposal on national security grounds," he added. Lawmakers fear if Oracle gets minority shares and ByteDance continues to own majority shares, the alleged practice of continuing to supply data to China will not stop. However, this decision is coming very close to the upcoming US elections that are few weeks away. Donald Trump, who is competing against Joe Biden, would not want to make his young voters, who are addicted to TikTok, to feel alienated and be angry at him. The decision to allow TikTok to continue will partially hold the power to decide whether or not Trump gets majority votes this November.

Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok

China will need to approve ByteDance`s proposed deal with Oracle Corp for its TikTok app, the Chinese company said on Thursday, indicating how its bid to stave off a ban in the United States could be further complicated.

Oracle has submitted a proposal to the Trump administration that will allow it to become a technology partner in the TikTok app, as ByteDance hopes to head off a Trump order that it divest TikTok`s U.S. operations. The proposal envisages making TikTok Global a U.S.-headquartered company.

But U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised questions about ByteDance`s plans to keep a majority stake in TikTok`s U.S. operations and said he did not favor the idea of the Chinese firm retaining control, after six Republican lawmakers urged him to reject the proposal.

Trump has said he would ban TikTok in the United States as early as Sunday if ByteDance does not comply amid U.S. concerns that the company could pass user data to China`s Communist Party government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-not-happy-with-oracle-having-minority-shares-in-tiktok-328040">Also read|&nbsp;Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok</a>

An outright sale of TikTok`s operations or technologies was not included in ByteDance`s proposal to the United States, Chinese state media reported on Thursday citing a separate statement from the company.

ByteDance declined to comment when asked about this by Reuters.

When asked about ByteDance`s comments regarding the need for China`s approval, the foreign ministry on Thursday urged the United States to respect the principles of the market economy and fair competition, and to stop politicising normal economic and trade cooperation.

China late last month updated its export control rules to give it a say over the transfer of technology such as TikTok’s user recommendation algorithm to foreign buyers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oracle-very-close-to-deal-on-tiktok-donald-trump-327804">Also read|&nbsp;Oracle ‘very close’ to deal on TikTok: Donald Trump</a>

Reuters has reported that the Oracle deal would not require ByteDance to apply to Chinese authorities for an export licence for TikTok`s algorithm.

ByteDance and its founder Zhang Yiming have faced public criticism in China for seeming to give in to U.S. pressure after it was reported it was contemplating a sale of TikTok`s U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp. Some netizens said they would stop using Douyin, ByteDance`s Chinese version of TikTok.

"ByteDance, as it works to find a solution to keep TikTok`s U.S. business alive, is walking a tightrope between the demands of the U.S. government on the one side and the expectations of both the Chinese government and public on the other," said Mark Natkin, managing director at Marbridge Consulting.

"It can`t afford to make any missteps along the way."

China will need to approve ByteDance`s proposed deal with Oracle Corp for its TikTok app, the Chinese company said on Thursday, indicating how its bid to stave off a ban in the United States could be further complicated.

China will need to approve ByteDance`s proposed deal with Oracle Corp for its TikTok app, the Chinese company said on Thursday, indicating how its bid to stave off a ban in the United States could be further complicated. Oracle has submitted a proposal to the Trump administration that will allow it to become a technology partner in the TikTok app, as ByteDance hopes to head off a Trump order that it divest TikTok`s U.S. operations. The proposal envisages making TikTok Global a U.S.-headquartered company. But U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised questions about ByteDance`s plans to keep a majority stake in TikTok`s U.S. operations and said he did not favor the idea of the Chinese firm retaining control, after six Republican lawmakers urged him to reject the proposal. Trump has said he would ban TikTok in the United States as early as Sunday if ByteDance does not comply amid U.S. concerns that the company could pass user data to China`s Communist Party government. Also read| Trump not happy with Oracle having minority shares in TikTok An outright sale of TikTok`s operations or technologies was not included in ByteDance`s proposal to the United States, Chinese state media reported on Thursday citing a separate statement from the company. ByteDance declined to comment when asked about this by Reuters. When asked about ByteDance`s comments regarding the need for China`s approval, the foreign ministry on Thursday urged the United States to respect the principles of the market economy and fair competition, and to stop politicising normal economic and trade cooperation. China late last month updated its export control rules to give it a say over the transfer of technology such as TikTok’s user recommendation algorithm to foreign buyers. Also read| Oracle ‘very close’ to deal on TikTok: Donald Trump Reuters has reported that the Oracle deal would not require ByteDance to apply to Chinese authorities for an export licence for TikTok`s algorithm. ByteDance and its founder Zhang Yiming have faced public criticism in China for seeming to give in to U.S. pressure after it was reported it was contemplating a sale of TikTok`s U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp. Some netizens said they would stop using Douyin, ByteDance`s Chinese version of TikTok. "ByteDance, as it works to find a solution to keep TikTok`s U.S. business alive, is walking a tightrope between the demands of the U.S. government on the one side and the expectations of both the Chinese government and public on the other," said Mark Natkin, managing director at Marbridge Consulting. "It can`t afford to make any missteps along the way."

ByteDance says China will have to approve its US TikTok deal

China's Foreign Ministry on Monday&nbsp;said that popular mobile phone app TikTok is being "encircled" and "coerced" as its parent company ByteDance picked Oracle as partner to try to save its business in the United States.

The ministry's spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment on the news, but urged the US&nbsp;government to provide an "open, fair and non-discriminatory international business environment for foreign enterprises".

Oracle beat Microsoft in the battle for the US&nbsp;arm of TikTok with a deal structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale to try to navigate geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsofts-offer-to-buy-tiktok-rejected-oracle-likely-to-partner-327307" hreflang="en">Microsoft's offer to buy TikTok rejected; Oracle likely to partner</a>

Microsoft on Sunday said its offer to buy TikTok has been rejected. The US tech giant issued a statment saying "ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok's US operations to Microsoft".

ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, had been in talks to divest the US&nbsp;business of its hugely popular short-video app to Oracle&nbsp;or a consortium led by Microsoft Corp&nbsp;after US&nbsp;President Donald Trump ordered the sale last month and said he might otherwise shut it down.

While TikTok is best known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, US&nbsp;officials are concerned user information could be passed to China's communist government. TikTok, which has as many as 100 million US&nbsp;users, has said it would never share such data with Chinese authorities.

China's Foreign Ministry on Monday said that popular mobile phone app TikTok is being "encircled" and "coerced" as its parent company ByteDance picked Oracle as partner to try to save its business in the United States.

China's Foreign Ministry on Monday said that popular mobile phone app TikTok is being "encircled" and "coerced" as its parent company ByteDance picked Oracle as partner to try to save its business in the United States. The ministry's spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment on the news, but urged the US government to provide an "open, fair and non-discriminatory international business environment for foreign enterprises". Oracle beat Microsoft in the battle for the US arm of TikTok with a deal structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale to try to navigate geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington. Also read: Microsoft's offer to buy TikTok rejected; Oracle likely to partner Microsoft on Sunday said its offer to buy TikTok has been rejected. The US tech giant issued a statment saying "ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok's US operations to Microsoft". ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, had been in talks to divest the US business of its hugely popular short-video app to Oracle or a consortium led by Microsoft Corp after US President Donald Trump ordered the sale last month and said he might otherwise shut it down. While TikTok is best known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, US officials are concerned user information could be passed to China's communist government. TikTok, which has as many as 100 million US users, has said it would never share such data with Chinese authorities.

China says TikTok being 'encircled' and 'coerced' after ByteDance drops sale

After news broke out that ByteDance may miss the deadline set for the&nbsp;TikTok deal, the US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has said there will be no extensions for the China-owned company.

According to a report published in Bloomberg on Thursday, ByteDance may&nbsp;need few more days after September 20&nbsp;to reach an agreement with either of the parties due to the Chinese regulatory review.

However, Donald Trump has said&nbsp;"It'll either be closed up or they'll sell it.&nbsp;There will be no extension of the TikTok deadline."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bytedance-may-miss-us-deadline-for-tiktok-deal-says-report-326587">Also read:ByteDance may miss US deadline for TikTok deal, says report</a>

The Chinese company has been looking for the best buyer to sell its US assets to, after Trump asked the company to leave the country alleging it of working as a secret intelligence for China. Trump administration believes TikTok has been used to supply US information to China — a country with whom the US is on a diplomatic and trade war.

However, ByteDance has repeatedly denied these allegations stating that the company never has, and never will share any data with the Chinese or any other government.

"I'm sure there are any number of backdoors that are built into the code and of course ByteDance knows exactly what they are, so there needs to be a clean, clear, total separation," Republican Senator Josh Hawley, a close ally of Trump, said while supporting Trump's decision.

Companies such as Microsoft and&nbsp;Oracle Corp are the potential new buyers.

After news broke out that ByteDance may miss the deadline set for the TikTok deal, the US President Donald Trump has said there will be no extensions for the China-owned company.

After news broke out that ByteDance may miss the deadline set for the TikTok deal, the US President Donald Trump has said there will be no extensions for the China-owned company. According to a report published in Bloomberg on Thursday, ByteDance may need few more days after September 20 to reach an agreement with either of the parties due to the Chinese regulatory review. However, Donald Trump has said "It'll either be closed up or they'll sell it. There will be no extension of the TikTok deadline." Also read:ByteDance may miss US deadline for TikTok deal, says report The Chinese company has been looking for the best buyer to sell its US assets to, after Trump asked the company to leave the country alleging it of working as a secret intelligence for China. Trump administration believes TikTok has been used to supply US information to China — a country with whom the US is on a diplomatic and trade war. However, ByteDance has repeatedly denied these allegations stating that the company never has, and never will share any data with the Chinese or any other government. "I'm sure there are any number of backdoors that are built into the code and of course ByteDance knows exactly what they are, so there needs to be a clean, clear, total separation," Republican Senator Josh Hawley, a close ally of Trump, said while supporting Trump's decision. Companies such as Microsoft and Oracle Corp are the potential new buyers.

'There will be no extension': Trump says on TikTok deadline

ByteDance, the owner of popular short-video app TikTok, is planning to invest billions of dollars and recruit hundreds of employees in Singapore over the next three years, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The company’s plans about setting up a new data centre in the city-state is untrue, the source said, adding that the Beijing-based firm had stepped up the purchase of cloud-computing servers in Singapore to backup US&nbsp;data for contingency.

Separately, a company source said TikTok had moved some engineers to Singapore from China, starting this year.

Bloomberg earlier reported&nbsp;that ByteDance was planning to make Singapore its beachhead for the rest of Asia as part of its global expansion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/there-will-be-no-extension-trump-says-on-tiktok-deadline-326736">Also read|&nbsp;'There will be no extension': Trump says on TikTok deadline</a>

Singapore has been ramping up efforts over the last few years to attract tech firms and investors. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the global trade and transport hub hard, accelerating the need to reinvent itself.

The city-state is likely to become more attractive to companies seeking a neutral ground amid rising tensions between the United States and China, according to analysts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bytedance-may-miss-us-deadline-for-tiktok-deal-says-report-326587">Also read: ByteDance may miss US deadline for TikTok deal, says report</a>

The investment comes as ByteDance is being forced to sell TikTok’s US assets under pressure from the Trump administration, which has cited potential national security risk due to the vast amount of private data the app is compiling on US&nbsp;consumers.

According to a Bloomberg report on Thursday, the company is likely to miss the September 20 deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for the sale of assets as new Chinese regulations have complicated deal talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp.

ByteDance, the owner of popular short-video app TikTok, is planning to invest billions of dollars and recruit hundreds of employees in Singapore over the next three years, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

ByteDance, the owner of popular short-video app TikTok, is planning to invest billions of dollars and recruit hundreds of employees in Singapore over the next three years, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. The company’s plans about setting up a new data centre in the city-state is untrue, the source said, adding that the Beijing-based firm had stepped up the purchase of cloud-computing servers in Singapore to backup US data for contingency. Separately, a company source said TikTok had moved some engineers to Singapore from China, starting this year. Bloomberg earlier reported that ByteDance was planning to make Singapore its beachhead for the rest of Asia as part of its global expansion. Also read| 'There will be no extension': Trump says on TikTok deadline Singapore has been ramping up efforts over the last few years to attract tech firms and investors. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the global trade and transport hub hard, accelerating the need to reinvent itself. The city-state is likely to become more attractive to companies seeking a neutral ground amid rising tensions between the United States and China, according to analysts. Also read: ByteDance may miss US deadline for TikTok deal, says report The investment comes as ByteDance is being forced to sell TikTok’s US assets under pressure from the Trump administration, which has cited potential national security risk due to the vast amount of private data the app is compiling on US consumers. According to a Bloomberg report on Thursday, the company is likely to miss the September 20 deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for the sale of assets as new Chinese regulations have complicated deal talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp.

ByteDance to invest billions, recruit hundreds in Singapore in three years: Source

ByteDance is likely to miss the deadline imposed by the Trump administration for the sale of TikTok's US assets as new Chinese regulations have complicated deal talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp.

According to a report published in Bloomberg on Thursday, the company likely needs beyond the U.S. executive order ban on September 20 to reach an agreement with either of the parties due to the Chinese regulatory review, the report said.

The Trump administration is seeking to ban TikTok unless ByteDance sells the short-video app's US operations, citing potential national security risk due to the vast amount of private data the app is compiling on US consumers.

ByteDance has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content.

ByteDance is likely to miss the deadline imposed by the Trump administration for the sale of TikTok's US assets as new Chinese regulations have complicated deal talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp.

ByteDance is likely to miss the deadline imposed by the Trump administration for the sale of TikTok's US assets as new Chinese regulations have complicated deal talks with bidders Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp. According to a report published in Bloomberg on Thursday, the company likely needs beyond the U.S. executive order ban on September 20 to reach an agreement with either of the parties due to the Chinese regulatory review, the report said. The Trump administration is seeking to ban TikTok unless ByteDance sells the short-video app's US operations, citing potential national security risk due to the vast amount of private data the app is compiling on US consumers. ByteDance has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content.

ByteDance may miss US deadline for TikTok deal, says report

Here is a list of world's top-10 most valuable startups

Trouble doesn't seem to be ending for the short-video sharing app TikTok. After a ban in India and a possible ban in the US, TikTok has landed in yet another trouble. But this time, it is a TikTok 'trend' that has crossed a line.

In a recently started TikTok trend, the users have started to dress-up and do a roleplay of&nbsp;Holocaust victims. The participants of the trend are recording short videos telling their made-up stories of how they survived the Holocaust, or how torturous the situation was during that time.&nbsp;

Some of them have gone to the limit of wearing the inmate uniform and/or also one of the armbands marked with the Star of David that Jews were ordered to wear. Some can even be seen sporting fake bruises and scars.

Also read:&nbsp;

However, while it has become popular on the ByteDance-owned app, this trend has attracted a lot of criticism from the non-TikTok users.&nbsp;The Auschwitz museum, which is&nbsp;at the site of the former Nazi death camp in Poland, took to Twitter to condemn this new trend. Calling it 'hurtful and offensive', the museum authorities said, "Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The 'victims' trend on TikTok can be hurtful &amp; offensive. Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history. 
 
But we should discuss this not to shame &amp; attack young people whose motivation seem very diverse. It's an educational challenge. <a href="https://t.co/CB4Ve2uRUK">pic.twitter.com/CB4Ve2uRUK</a>
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuschwitzMuseum/status/1298625376084807680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“Some were not created to commemorate anyone, but to become part of an online trend. This is very painful.," the statement read.

However, the authorities have also acknowledged that they understand that the intentions behind these videos were not to hurt anyone. “But we should discuss this, not to shame &amp; attack young people whose motivation seem very diverse,” it added.

The museum has requested youngsters to be more respectful towards the victims and their stories as "the stories of people who were imprisoned and murdered in Auschwitz are incredibly tragic, painful and emotional".

Trouble doesn't seem to be ending for the short-video sharing app TikTok. After a ban in India and a possible ban in the US, TikTok has landed in yet another trouble.

Trouble doesn't seem to be ending for the short-video sharing app TikTok. After a ban in India and a possible ban in the US, TikTok has landed in yet another trouble. But this time, it is a TikTok 'trend' that has crossed a line. In a recently started TikTok trend, the users have started to dress-up and do a roleplay of Holocaust victims. The participants of the trend are recording short videos telling their made-up stories of how they survived the Holocaust, or how torturous the situation was during that time. Some of them have gone to the limit of wearing the inmate uniform and/or also one of the armbands marked with the Star of David that Jews were ordered to wear. Some can even be seen sporting fake bruises and scars. Also read: However, while it has become popular on the ByteDance-owned app, this trend has attracted a lot of criticism from the non-TikTok users. The Auschwitz museum, which is at the site of the former Nazi death camp in Poland, took to Twitter to condemn this new trend. Calling it 'hurtful and offensive', the museum authorities said, "Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history." The 'victims' trend on TikTok can be hurtful & offensive. Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialization of history. But we should discuss this not to shame & attack young people whose motivation seem very diverse. It's an educational challenge. pic.twitter.com/CB4Ve2uRUK — Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) August 26, 2020 × “Some were not created to commemorate anyone, but to become part of an online trend. This is very painful.," the statement read. However, the authorities have also acknowledged that they understand that the intentions behind these videos were not to hurt anyone. “But we should discuss this, not to shame & attack young people whose motivation seem very diverse,” it added. The museum has requested youngsters to be more respectful towards the victims and their stories as "the stories of people who were imprisoned and murdered in Auschwitz are incredibly tragic, painful and emotional".

TikTok in trouble again with an 'offensive' Holocaust trend

Vietnamese technology firm VNG is suing TikTok, the popular short-form video app, saying it does not have adequate licences for the songs being used in its videos, sources said on Monday.

VNG is accusing the Chinese-owned company of using audio tracks owned by Zing, a VNG subsidiary, without the company`s consent, two sources familiar with the issue said.

A legal document from the people`s court of Ho Chi Minh City seen by Reuters seeks damages from TikTok and demands that it ceases use of Zing`s music.

"VNG requests TikTok remove all music segments taken from Zing records from both the TikTok application and website, and an indemnification for damages of over 221 billion dong ($9.5 million)," read the document.

TikTok and VNG did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

VNG Corporation is a Vietnam-based technology firm founded in 2004, known for its online games, music streaming and messaging applications.

TikTok has soared in popularity in Vietnam, where it recorded 10 million users as of August with millions of short-clip uploads to the platform, official data showed.

But some music rights-holders say TikTok does not have adequate licences for the songs being used in its videos.

"Notably, TikTok has introduced a very complicated business model to avoid copyright compliance in Vietnam," the Vietnam Music Association said in a response to questions from Reuters.

Vietnamese technology firm VNG is suing TikTok, the popular short-form video app, saying it does not have adequate licences for the songs being used in its videos, sources said on Monday.

Vietnamese technology firm VNG is suing TikTok, the popular short-form video app, saying it does not have adequate licences for the songs being used in its videos, sources said on Monday. VNG is accusing the Chinese-owned company of using audio tracks owned by Zing, a VNG subsidiary, without the company`s consent, two sources familiar with the issue said. A legal document from the people`s court of Ho Chi Minh City seen by Reuters seeks damages from TikTok and demands that it ceases use of Zing`s music. "VNG requests TikTok remove all music segments taken from Zing records from both the TikTok application and website, and an indemnification for damages of over 221 billion dong ($9.5 million)," read the document. TikTok and VNG did not immediately respond to requests for comment. VNG Corporation is a Vietnam-based technology firm founded in 2004, known for its online games, music streaming and messaging applications. TikTok has soared in popularity in Vietnam, where it recorded 10 million users as of August with millions of short-clip uploads to the platform, official data showed. But some music rights-holders say TikTok does not have adequate licences for the songs being used in its videos. "Notably, TikTok has introduced a very complicated business model to avoid copyright compliance in Vietnam," the Vietnam Music Association said in a response to questions from Reuters.

Vietnamese tech firm sues TikTok, alleging copyright infringement

TikTok is set to mount a legal challenge to US President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance.

TikTok's legal challenge pertains to an executive order, which Trump issued on August 6. The said order directed the Secretary of Commerce to come up with a list of transactions involving ByteDance and its holdings that should be banned after 45 days.

TikTok plans to argue that the August 6 executive order's reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act deprives it of due process. TikTok will also contest its classification by the White House as a national security threat, the sources added.

US officials have expressed concerns that information on users could be passed on to China's communist governmen from TikTok.

The Trump administration has stepped up its efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from US digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order that would prohibit transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's WeChat.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-removes-380000-videos-in-us-for-hate-content-322028">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok removes 380,000 videos in US for hate content</a>

Trump has said he would support an effort by Microsoft to buy TikTok's American operations if the US government got a "substantial portion" of the proceeds, but has also said there are other interested potential buyers such as Oracle.

Trump also issued an executive order on August 14 that gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the US operations of TikTok.&nbsp;

To this end, ByteDance has been making progress in talks with potential acquirers, including Microsoft Corp and Oracle. Some of ByteDance's US investors could also join the winning bid.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-claims-to-possess-evidence-against-bytedance-orders-to-divest-interest-in-tiktok-within-90-days-320621">Also read |&nbsp;Trump claims to possess evidence against ByteDance; orders to divest interest in TikTok within 90 days</a>

TikTok is set to mount a legal challenge to US President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance.

TikTok is set to mount a legal challenge to US President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance. TikTok's legal challenge pertains to an executive order, which Trump issued on August 6. The said order directed the Secretary of Commerce to come up with a list of transactions involving ByteDance and its holdings that should be banned after 45 days. TikTok plans to argue that the August 6 executive order's reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act deprives it of due process. TikTok will also contest its classification by the White House as a national security threat, the sources added. US officials have expressed concerns that information on users could be passed on to China's communist governmen from TikTok. The Trump administration has stepped up its efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from US digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order that would prohibit transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's WeChat. Also read | TikTok removes 380,000 videos in US for hate content Trump has said he would support an effort by Microsoft to buy TikTok's American operations if the US government got a "substantial portion" of the proceeds, but has also said there are other interested potential buyers such as Oracle. Trump also issued an executive order on August 14 that gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the US operations of TikTok. To this end, ByteDance has been making progress in talks with potential acquirers, including Microsoft Corp and Oracle. Some of ByteDance's US investors could also join the winning bid. Also read | Trump claims to possess evidence against ByteDance; orders to divest interest in TikTok within 90 days

TikTok may challenge US order banning transactions with its Chinese parent ByteDance

TikTok will file a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump's executive order that prohibits transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance, confirming an earlier report.

It was reported a day before that TikTok may&nbsp;challenge Trump's executive order as early as Monday.

Now, TikTok has confirmed this, issuing a statement that says it had tried to engage with the US administration for nearly a year, but faced "a lack of due process" and that the government paid no attention to the facts.

"To ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the executive order through the judicial system," the company spokesperson said.

While TikTok is best known for its anodyne videos of people dancing and going viral among teenagers, US officials have expressed concerns that information on users could be passed on to China's government.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-to-challenge-us-order-banning-transactions-with-its-chinese-parent-bytedance-322282">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok may&nbsp;challenge US order banning transactions with its Chinese parent ByteDance</a>

TikTok's legal challenge pertains to an executive order, which Trump issued on August 6. The said order directed the Secretary of Commerce to come up with a list of transactions involving ByteDance and its holdings that should be banned after 45 days.

The Trump administration has stepped up its efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from US digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order that would prohibit transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's WeChat.

Trump also issued an executive order on August 14 that gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the US operations of TikTok.&nbsp;

To this end, ByteDance has been making progress in talks with potential acquirers, including Microsoft Corp and Oracle. Some of ByteDance's US investors could also join the winning bid. 
&nbsp;

TikTok will file a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump's executive order that prohibits transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance, confirming an earlier report.

TikTok will file a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump's executive order that prohibits transactions with the popular short video app and its Chinese parent ByteDance, confirming an earlier report. It was reported a day before that TikTok may challenge Trump's executive order as early as Monday. Now, TikTok has confirmed this, issuing a statement that says it had tried to engage with the US administration for nearly a year, but faced "a lack of due process" and that the government paid no attention to the facts. "To ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the executive order through the judicial system," the company spokesperson said. While TikTok is best known for its anodyne videos of people dancing and going viral among teenagers, US officials have expressed concerns that information on users could be passed on to China's government. Also read | TikTok may challenge US order banning transactions with its Chinese parent ByteDance TikTok's legal challenge pertains to an executive order, which Trump issued on August 6. The said order directed the Secretary of Commerce to come up with a list of transactions involving ByteDance and its holdings that should be banned after 45 days. The Trump administration has stepped up its efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from US digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order that would prohibit transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's WeChat. Trump also issued an executive order on August 14 that gave ByteDance 90 days to divest the US operations of TikTok. To this end, ByteDance has been making progress in talks with potential acquirers, including Microsoft Corp and Oracle. Some of ByteDance's US investors could also join the winning bid.

TikTok confirms it will challenge Trump's executive order; issues statement

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has moved to ease tensions with Donald Trump, as he continues to threaten Chinese firms. 
 
Chief executive Daniel Zhang said the online retailer's policies "are fully aligned with the interests of both China and the United States".

“As the world’s largest e-commerce platform, Alibaba’s primary commercial focus in the U.S. is to support American brands, retailers, small businesses and farmers to sell to consumers and trade partners in China as well as other key markets around the world,” Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang said.

The comments came as Alibaba announced a better-than-expected jump in quarterly sales. 
 
Meanwhile, the US president has promised to impose tariffs on US firms that refuse to move jobs back from overseas. 
 
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he could exert pressure on more Chinese companies such as technology giant Alibaba after he moved to ban TikTok. 
 
Asked at a news conference whether there were other particular China-owned companies he was considering a ban on, such as Alibaba, Trump replied: "Well, we're looking at other things, yes." 
&nbsp; 
Trump has been piling pressure on Chinese-owned companies, such as by vowing to ban short-video app TikTok from the United States. The United States ordered its Chinese owner ByteDance on Friday to divest the US operations of TikTok within 90 days, the latest effort to ramp up pressure over concerns about the safety of the personal data it handles.

Trump, who has made changing the US-China trade relationship a central theme of his presidency, has been sharply critical of China while also praising its purchases of agriculture products such as soybeans and corn as part of a trade agreement reached late last year.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has moved to ease tensions with Donald Trump, as he continues to threaten Chinese firms. Chief executive Daniel Zhang said the online retailer's policies "are fully aligned with the interests of both China and the United States".

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has moved to ease tensions with Donald Trump, as he continues to threaten Chinese firms. Chief executive Daniel Zhang said the online retailer's policies "are fully aligned with the interests of both China and the United States". “As the world’s largest e-commerce platform, Alibaba’s primary commercial focus in the U.S. is to support American brands, retailers, small businesses and farmers to sell to consumers and trade partners in China as well as other key markets around the world,” Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang said. The comments came as Alibaba announced a better-than-expected jump in quarterly sales. Meanwhile, the US president has promised to impose tariffs on US firms that refuse to move jobs back from overseas. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he could exert pressure on more Chinese companies such as technology giant Alibaba after he moved to ban TikTok. Asked at a news conference whether there were other particular China-owned companies he was considering a ban on, such as Alibaba, Trump replied: "Well, we're looking at other things, yes." Trump has been piling pressure on Chinese-owned companies, such as by vowing to ban short-video app TikTok from the United States. The United States ordered its Chinese owner ByteDance on Friday to divest the US operations of TikTok within 90 days, the latest effort to ramp up pressure over concerns about the safety of the personal data it handles. Trump, who has made changing the US-China trade relationship a central theme of his presidency, has been sharply critical of China while also praising its purchases of agriculture products such as soybeans and corn as part of a trade agreement reached late last year. (With inputs from agencies)

In a move aimed at placating Trump, Alibaba claims to support US businesses

bytedance

Bytedance, News on Bytedance, stories on Bytedance, articles on Bytedance, Bytedance stories at Wion, Bytedance news, Bytedance latest news