TikTok Reaches Deal for US Joint Venture to Avoid Ban

Is the TikTok deal a win for America or a complete victory for China's ByteDance?

1 day ago·Updated 20 hours ago

TikTok Reaches Deal for US Joint Venture to Avoid Ban

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Above: A person holds a smartphone displaying the TikTok logo in Chongqing, on Jan. 23. Image credit: Cheng Xin/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

The TikTok deal is a massive win for American interests, transferring ownership to great American patriots and investors while securing the platform that helped connect with young voters. This beautiful conclusion preserves an important voice for Americans and demonstrates effective dealmaking that brought China to the table.

Donald Trump on Truthsocial

Anti-Trump narrative

The TikTok deal is actually a complete victory for ByteDance, allowing China to keep control of the algorithm and technology while only surrendering content moderation. Instead of forcing a real divestment, this franchise-style arrangement removed political constraints from a Chinese tech champion at the exact moment it's outpacing Meta and investing billions in AI.

Financial Times

Establishment-critical narrative

The TikTok deal was never about security — it's about protecting Silicon Valley's monopoly. After decades of promoting internet freedom globally, the U.S. forced a foreign competitor to hand over equity to American investors the moment it challenged Meta's dominance. Real data privacy concerns would require industry-wide regulation, not singling out one Chinese app while Oracle profits from the arrangement.

Jacobin