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TechCrunch Daily Crunch

What to know about TikTok’s uncertain future in the US

Feb 18, 2025
TikTok faces a turbulent future in the U.S. due to ongoing regulatory pressures and privacy concerns. The app is under scrutiny over potential access to user data by the Chinese government. Recent controversies include a brief outage that left users on edge. Discussions touch on potential buyers and the app's high valuation amidst these challenges. As debates heat up, TikTok's fate in the American market remains uncertain.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • TikTok's future in the U.S. is threatened by ongoing data security concerns and the potential requirement to sell its operations.
  • A diverse array of investor groups are competing to acquire TikTok, showcasing varying approaches to addressing privacy and data control issues.

Deep dives

TikTok's Uncertain Future in the U.S.

Concerns regarding TikTok's user data security have kept it at the center of controversy in the U.S. for several years, particularly due to its ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. The app has faced a series of legal battles, starting with President Trump's 2020 executive order aimed at banning transactions with ByteDance and forcing a sale of TikTok's U.S. operations. Though a U.S. judge temporarily blocked the executive order, the Biden administration later advanced legislation that requires TikTok to either sell or face a ban, challenging the app's operations and constitutionality claims in court. As TikTok’s prospects fluctuate, its potential valuation could exceed $60 billion, making it a hot commodity in a competitive landscape of interested investors and companies.

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