The latest action adds to the efforts of increasing pressure on the ByteDance to divest its US operations
US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered ByteDance to divest from US operations of TikTok, its video-sharing application, within 90 days. The fresh action adds to the efforts of increasing pressure on the company regarding concerns surrounding the safety of personal data of its users. In the order, Trump said, «There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance… might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States.» The Chinese company is already in talks with Microsoft Corp to sell Tiktok’s operations in Australia, New Zealand, and North America. Trump’s latest move comes on top of an executive order he issued last week that would prohibit certain transactions with TikTok unless ByteDance divests it within 45 days. The new order adds to pressure for ByteDance to divest TikTok, and legally buttresses the US government’s crackdown on the Chinese-owned social media app. It authorizes US officials to inspect TikTok and ByteDance’s books and information systems to ensure the safety of personal data while the sale talks are ongoing.
