China’s updated its list of technologies that are subject to export restrictions could further complicate TikTok’s U.S. sale.
TikTok’s chaotic U. S. sale negotiations may be about to get more complicated. In the latest 11th-hour twist, China has updated its list of technologies (via Nikkei) that are subject to export restrictions to add “recommendation of personalized information services based on data.” The list, which was last refreshed more than a decade ago in 2008, also includes technologies that are deemed sensitive such as voice recognition and computer chips. Chinese companies that seek to sell any of these technologies to a foreign bidder must acquire a license from the government. While the amendment doesn’t directly confirm it will throw a wrench in Bytedance’s attempt to sell TikTok to an American owner before it’s banned, its timeline and details do potentially suggest it might be rolled out for that exact purpose.
