US, China Seal TikTok Deal After Years-Long Battle; Algorithm Control Still Unclear

• ByteDance finalizes deal for TikTok's US operations under a new majority American-owned joint venture, averting a nationwide ban.
• The agreement resolves a dispute initiated in August 2020 by then-US President Donald Trump over national security concerns.
• TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC will secure US user data, applications, and the recommendation algorithm with enhanced privacy and cybersecurity.
• American and global investors, including Oracle and Silver Lake, will hold an 80.1% controlling stake; ByteDance retains 19.9%.
• The deal brings regulatory certainty to TikTok's US operations, though algorithm ownership details remain undisclosed.

Why It Matters: US and China finalize a deal for TikTok's US operations, but algorithm control details remain ambiguous.