U.S. May Lease China’s Algorithm Instead of Owning It

With Washington confirming that it has established a framework for TikTok’s sell-off ahead of this week’s deadline, more details are now emerging on how the app will continue to function in the U.S. under the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.” On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. had agreed to a framework that would see TikTok transferred to American investors, while still allowing its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to hold a significant minority stake. Crucially, under the arrangement, TikTok’s recommendation algorithm will remain with ByteDance, with the U.S. buyers essentially licensing the technology rather than acquiring it outright. That provision may not strictly align with the letter of the sell-off law, which outlines requirements tied to the operational infrastructure of such platforms. However, the legislation also grants the President discretion to determine the parameters of divestiture “with respect to the operation of a content recommendation algorithm.” In practice, this means the White House holds the authority to sign off on such a compromise — one that leaves TikTok’s U.S. experience virtually unchanged. Reports point to Oracle as a central player in the deal, continuing its long-standing association with TikTok through its data storage partnership. According to the latest indications, a U.S. consortium will acquire the platform, with Oracle, BlackRock, and Andreessen Horowitz collectively controlling a 50% stake. ByteDance will retain a 19.9% share, keeping some measure of influence under the new structure. The algorithm, of course, was the most contentious point. Beijing has repeatedly insisted that TikTok’s secret sauce — its recommendation engine — is not for sale. The proposed licensing arrangement appears to be the middle ground that allows the deal to move forward. So, after years of disputes over data security, foreign interference, and the specter of algorithmic manipulation, TikTok may end up operating much as it always has in the U.S. In effect, a new “TikTok America” entity will be created, but its engine will still be powered by ByteDance’s proprietary systems. From the user’s perspective, the app will remain identical — the endless scroll of viral clips continuing uninterrupted, despite months of political brinkmanship and speculation of a looming ban. Whether this outcome adequately addresses the original security concerns is less clear. Lawmakers have never fully disclosed the intelligence that prompted them to pass the sell-off law in the first place. Theories range from TikTok being a potential vector for pro-China influence campaigns to worries about the handling of Americans’ personal data. TikTok, for its part, has already been caught misusing data to track journalists, while U.S. officials continue to warn about China’s broader cyber operations across multiple fronts. In that sense, questions remain. With the algorithm still effectively under Chinese control — albeit leased to the U.S. — how much oversight will American regulators truly have? Transparency on the system’s inner workings seems unlikely, given Beijing’s firm resistance during negotiations. Still, for TikTok creators, advertisers, and its 170 million U.S. users, the result looks like a relief. The platform will survive intact, no longer shadowed by the threat of an outright shutdown. 📢 If you're interested in Facebook Ads Account, don't hesitate to connect with us!🔹 https://linktr.ee/Adshinepro💬 We're always ready to assist you!

Despite signaling that a TikTok-U.S. deal is imminent, the White House is once again asking for more time to finalize the arrangement. Today, President Donald Trump signed a fourth executive order delaying enforcement of the TikTok sell-off bill, giving the app until December 16th to secure a sale to a U.S.-owned entity—or face a complete ban in the country. According to the latest order:“The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), as extended by Executive Order 14258 of April 4, 2025 (Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay), and Executive Order 14310 of June 19, 2025 (Further Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay), is further extended until December 16, 2025. During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating of) any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act.” Put simply, TikTok is technically banned under U.S. law, with Trump’s series of executive orders serving only to pause enforcement. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” was approved by the Senate and signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in April of last year, taking effect on January 20th of this year. Yet since his inauguration, Trump—who has openly expressed his personal fondness for the platform, where he’s amassed a large following—has issued executive orders to keep the app accessible. Today’s order is his fourth such move. The administration continues to seek a compromise that satisfies the bill’s requirements while also securing terms acceptable to ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, and to Beijing. That balancing act has complicated negotiations, with Chinese officials pushing to ensure that the U.S. is not imposing what they view as discriminatory or unfair demands on a Chinese-owned business. As a result, the TikTok saga has become entangled with broader U.S.-China trade discussions, with Trump’s team using the talks to press for tighter restrictions on Chinese trade and to encourage companies to keep more of their operations on American soil. For now, the new extension gives negotiators another 90 days to hammer out a deal. But at some point, Trump’s repeated use of executive authority to override a law passed by Congress could draw sharper criticism from the Senate. If a resolution isn’t achieved during this extension, the political stakes could rise considerably. Reports suggest the emerging deal may involve TikTok’s U.S. partners leasing the app’s algorithm from China, rather than acquiring it outright. That arrangement would allow TikTok to continue operating much as it does today but could leave unaddressed key national security concerns about the platform’s influence. Another notable element of the proposed deal is that the U.S. government would hold a seat on the board of the new TikTok U.S. entity, giving it a formal role in oversight. Neither of these measures appears to fully align with the original intent of the bill. But considering it passed 18 months ago, the political memory of what lawmakers thought they were voting for may already be fading. For now, TikTok remains operational in the U.S.—but only by way of Trump’s repeated interventions. 📢 If you're interested in Facebook Ads Account, don't hesitate to connect with us!🔹 https://linktr.ee/Adshinepro💬 We're always ready to assist you!

Meta has officially kicked off its two-day Meta Connect conference, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a wave of new innovations spanning AI glasses, VR creation, advanced interaction tools, and more. The centerpiece of Meta Connect 2025 is the debut of the Ray-Ban-branded Meta Display AI glasses, which integrate a heads-up display to overlay digital information directly into the wearer’s line of sight. As demonstrated on stage, the glasses allow users to interact with a digital interface projected onto a small in-lens screen, controlled through Meta’s long-awaited neural wristband device. The “Meta Neural Band,” described by Zuckerberg as “the next chapter in the history of computing,” leverages differential electromyography (EMG) to read subtle muscle movements and translate them into digital signals. The concept is to replace traditional inputs—touchscreens, buttons, and dials—with silent, intuitive wrist-based gestures. According to Meta:“We’re excited to introduce our Meta Neural Band. It replaces the touchscreens, buttons, and dials of today’s technology with a sensor on your wrist, so you can silently scroll, click, and soon even write messages using subtle finger movements.”  Zuckerberg showed off examples such as messaging and calling with discreet gestures, or writing in mid-air with motions that the band converts into text. While the movements may resemble fidgeting, the overall control method is surprisingly subtle. The wristband, water-resistant and offering up to 18 hours of battery life, represents a critical building block in Zuckerberg’s long-term vision: AR glasses eventually overtaking smartphones as the main gateway to the online world. Changing ingrained habits won’t happen overnight, but Meta sees this as the beginning of that transition. The Meta Display AI glasses will retail for $799, launching September 30. Alongside them, Meta also announced Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, a model tailored for athletes. Lighter and equipped with a single center-frame camera for better balance, the Vanguard offers a 120-degree field of view, improved video stabilization, and integrations with Garmin and Strava for performance tracking. Priced at $499, pre-orders are open with shipping slated for October.  Updates are also rolling out for Meta’s existing Ray-Ban AI glasses, including 3K video recording, better battery life, enhanced live translation, and a new “Conversation Focus” feature that sharpens friends’ voices in noisy environments. Meanwhile, Meta’s Live AI assistant is getting smarter, providing contextual assistance based on what the wearer sees. Zuckerberg emphasized that adoption of its AI glasses is trending in line with some of the most successful consumer devices ever launched, suggesting the company’s wearables strategy is on the right track.  On the VR front, Meta announced Horizon Studio, powered by its new Meta Horizon engine, which will replace Unity as its VR operating system. The platform promises streamlined VR world-building through text prompts, faster load times, and access to an always-on AI assistant. A new “Hyperscape” capture system will even allow users to scan physical rooms with a Quest headset and instantly transform them into immersive 3D environments.  Zuckerberg framed these developments as “foundational infrastructure for the metaverse,” lowering the barriers for VR creation and democratizing immersive design. The company also previewed upcoming VR games and Horizon TV, a next-generation VR video hub.  Despite speculation that Meta had scaled back its metaverse ambitions, Zuckerberg left no doubt that the long-term vision is alive and well. From wristband input to AR glasses and AI-driven VR, the company sees all of these elements converging into its broader push toward an interconnected metaverse. 📢 If you're interested in Facebook Ads Account, don't hesitate to connect with us!🔹 https://linktr.ee/Adshinepro💬 We're always ready to assist you!