TikTok Deal Won’t Protect Privacy or National Security, Blumenthal Says
President Donald Trump’s “shadowy” deal to get ByteDance to divest TikTok won’t protect national security or privacy, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Monday, citing a New York Times opinion piece.
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ByteDance is reportedly divesting TikTok U.S. to an ownership group that includes Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX. The reported deal comes after Trump spent months unilaterally delaying effective dates for the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (see 2506180071). The law, which Congress passed overwhelmingly during the Biden administration, required ByteDance to divest TikTok to a non-Chinese entity in order to continue operating in the U.S.
Blumenthal said it appears TikTok’s recommendation algorithm will remain in Chinese control, and Trump allies will be running the platform: “Rather than protect national security & privacy, the new TikTok will be run by Trump’s friends in the Ellison family & his Emirati crypto partners.”
He continued: “Transparency & structural constraints are urgently demanded. Trump, TikTok, & their partners need to tell the public how their private information will be protected from spying.”
The White House didn’t comment.