China's ByteDance signs deal to form joint venture to operate TikTok US app

Core Viewpoint - TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, has signed binding agreements with three major investors to form a joint venture for operating TikTok's U.S. app, aiming to avoid a government ban and resolve ongoing uncertainties [1][2]. Group 1: Joint Venture Details - The joint venture will be led by American and global investors, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9% stake while investors will hold an 80.1% stake [4]. - The new entity, named TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will be managed by Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX, who will collectively own 45% of the new venture [5][6]. - The joint venture is designed to operate independently, overseeing U.S. data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance [5]. Group 2: Historical Context - This agreement marks a significant milestone for TikTok, which has over 170 million users in the U.S., following years of regulatory battles that began in August 2020 [2]. - The deal aligns with previous discussions regarding divestiture requirements set forth by U.S. law, which aimed to separate TikTok's U.S. operations from its Chinese ownership [3].