The makers of TikTok are reportedly working to create a U.S.-only version of the app, aimed at getting around a law that requires Chinese-owned ByteDance to find an American buyer for the platform, or be banned from American screens.
The app, and U.S. ownership, would be a more permanent solution for fans of the short-form video platform than the multiple suspensions of the divestment law that have been signed by President Trump.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga says the next deadline to comply with the divestment law is Sept. 14, and it’s rumored that the new app could be released Sept. 5.
Highlights from this segment:
– The TikTok divestment law, passed by Congress in 2024, requires Chinese-owned ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s U.S. presence or be disallowed on American devices. President Trump suspended enforcement of the law for 90 days when he took office earlier this year and has continued those suspensions.
– The new TikTok app would reportedly allow U.S. users to add and view videos as before, but the infrastructure for the service would reside in the U.S., with no access by ByteDance or the Chinese government.
– Some 170 million Americans are estimated to use TikTok.
– Trump says he is in touch with “very wealthy people” who intend to buy TikTok.
