Here's everything we know about TikTok's future in the US — and everything we don't

Paige LeskinAug 12, 2020, 00:28 IST

China and US flags are seen near a TikTok logo in this illustration picture taken July 16, 2020.Reuters/Florence Lo

TikTok is facing a full-scale attack from the Trump administration attempting to threaten the its future in the US over claims that the app poses a national-security risk through its Chinese parent company ByteDance.
ByteDance is entertaining TikTok acquisition talks with US tech companies to assuage concerns from the president. Microsoft is the favorite, and a potential deal is valued between $10 billion and $30 billion.
Trump recently issued an executive order to ban "any transactions" between Americans and ByteDance beginning in mid-September. Questions remain of the legality of the order, or if it is enforceable at all.
TikTok is expected to sue the Trump administration over the ban proposed in the executive order.
Here's everything that's happened to threaten TikTok's future in the US, and what we know about what's to come.

Lawmakers began to question TikTok's presence in the US in November 2017, when TikTok's parent company ByteDance bought a US-based app called Musical.ly. Musical.ly was shut down and merged with TikTok in the US a year later.

The team behind Musical.ly, including founder Alex Zhu, on the left in the forefront. Musically

Lawmakers began to question TikTok's presence in the US in November 2017, when TikTok's parent company ByteDance bought a US-based app called Musical.ly. Musical.ly was shut down and merged with TikTok in the US a year later.

China has been a target of the US government since Donald Trump took office in 2016. He's blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and accused Chinese companies of using their products to spy on US citizens for the state government.

Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Artyom Ivanov\TASS via Getty Images

China has been a target of the US government since Donald Trump took office in 2016. He's blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and accused Chinese companies of using their products to spy on US citizens for the state government.

As TikTok's popularity soared in 2019, lawmakers took a closer look at the app's ties to China. They've raised concerns of potential risks to US national security, the privacy of young users, and content moderation.

Republican US Sen. Josh Hawley, who has been one of TikTok's most ardent critics in Congress. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

As TikTok's popularity soared in 2019, lawmakers took a closer look at the app's ties to China. They've raised concerns of potential risks to US national security, the privacy of young users, and content moderation.

A federal investigation was launched in November 2019 via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a group that has the authority to approve or reject foreign business dealings over national-security risks. The review focused on ByteDance's 2017 acquisition of Musical.ly — CFIUS has yet to publicly release a decision.

Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images

A federal investigation was launched in November 2019 via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a group that has the authority to approve or reject foreign business dealings over national-security risks. The review focused on ByteDance's 2017 acquisition of Musical.ly — CFIUS has yet to publicly release a decision.

The Trump administration first publicly said it was considering banning TikTok in the US in early July, although no details were provided about how that would happen. Experts have said there's no identifiable way Trump could legally ban the app in its entirety.

President Donald Trump, left, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Tuan Mark/Getty Images

The Trump administration first publicly said it was considering banning TikTok in the US in early July, although no details were provided about how that would happen. Experts have said there's no identifiable way Trump could legally ban the app in its entirety.

Reports emerged toward the end of July that the Trump administration had begun weighing two actions it could take against TikTok: a nationwide TikTok ban, or an order that ByteDance divest its TikTok operations in the US.

Reuters/Dado Ruvic

Reports emerged toward the end of July that the Trump administration had begun weighing two actions it could take against TikTok: a nationwide TikTok ban, or an order that ByteDance divest its TikTok operations in the US.

To get ahead of Trump's calls for a ban, ByteDance started exploring the option to sell off TikTok's US operations, and entertained offers from US investors and tech companies. Trump acquiesced, and gave ByteDance until Sept. 15 to finalize a deal to sell off TikTok's US arm.

Reuters File Photo

To get ahead of Trump's calls for a ban, ByteDance started exploring the option to sell off TikTok's US operations, and entertained offers from US investors and tech companies. Trump acquiesced, and gave ByteDance until Sept. 15 to finalize a deal to sell off TikTok's US arm.

The valuation of TikTok's US operations have been pegged anywhere between $10 billion and $50 billion, a high pricepoint that few US companies could afford. Microsoft is the only company to confirm it has entered conversations with ByteDance.

ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming, left, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. VCG/VCG via Getty Images; Stephen Lam/Stringer/Getty Images

The valuation of TikTok's US operations have been pegged anywhere between $10 billion and $50 billion, a high pricepoint that few US companies could afford. Microsoft is the only company to confirm it has entered conversations with ByteDance.

Other names in Silicon Valley have been floated as potential buyers. Twitter is reportedly in "preliminary" talks with ByteDance — but the company would have to raise billions to afford TikTok's massive price.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Other names in Silicon Valley have been floated as potential buyers. Twitter is reportedly in "preliminary" talks with ByteDance — but the company would have to raise billions to afford TikTok's massive price.

However, a recent report indicates that acquisition talks for TikTok's US operations are "unlikely" to end in a deal. It may indicate that ByteDance only entertained US buyers as a way to temporarily appease Trump — but has no plans to sell off its massively popular app.

ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming. Zheng Shuai/VCG via Getty Images

However, a recent report indicates that acquisition talks for TikTok's US operations are "unlikely" to end in a deal. It may indicate that ByteDance only entertained US buyers as a way to temporarily appease Trump — but has no plans to sell off its massively popular app.

Despite ByteDance's offer to sell the app, Trump has issued an executive order to bar Americans from "any transactions" with TikTok or ByteDance. Before it's set to take effect in 45 days, the order is expected to face legal challenges.

Trump signs an executive order. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Despite ByteDance's offer to sell the app, Trump has issued an executive order to bar Americans from "any transactions" with TikTok or ByteDance. Before it's set to take effect in 45 days, the order is expected to face legal challenges.

It's clear TikTok isn't going away without a fight. The company said it would "pursue all remedies available to us" one Trump's executive order was signed. TikTok is now reportedly gearing up to sue the Trump administration as soon as Tuesday regarding the order's constitutionality.

Associated Press/Patrick Semansky; Reuters/Dado Ruvic

It's clear TikTok isn't going away without a fight. The company said it would "pursue all remedies available to us" one Trump's executive order was signed. TikTok is now reportedly gearing up to sue the Trump administration as soon as Tuesday regarding the order's constitutionality.

If a suit is filed, Trump's executive order will, at the very least, be delayed as the courts review it.

President Donald Trump speaks following a meeting on infrastructure at Trump Tower, August 15, 2017 in New York City. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

It also remains to be seen whether ByteDance will follow through on its talks to sell off TikTok's US operations. But it seems that the company is waiting to part ways with its 100 million users in the US until it's forced to do so.

ByteDance cofounder & CEO Zhang Yiming. Visual China Group via Getty Images; Ruobing Su/Business Insider

It also remains to be seen whether ByteDance will follow through on its talks to sell off TikTok's US operations. But it seems that the company is waiting to part ways with its 100 million users in the US until it's forced to do so.

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Here's everything we know about TikTok's future in the US — and everything we don't

Lawmakers began to question TikTok's presence in the US in November 2017, when TikTok's parent company ByteDance bought a US-based app called Musical.ly. Musical.ly was shut down and merged with TikTok in the US a year later.

China has been a target of the US government since Donald Trump took office in 2016. He's blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and accused Chinese companies of using their products to spy on US citizens for the state government.

As TikTok's popularity soared in 2019, lawmakers took a closer look at the app's ties to China. They've raised concerns of potential risks to US national security, the privacy of young users, and content moderation.

The Trump administration first publicly said it was considering banning TikTok in the US in early July, although no details were provided about how that would happen. Experts have said there's no identifiable way Trump could legally ban the app in its entirety.

Reports emerged toward the end of July that the Trump administration had begun weighing two actions it could take against TikTok: a nationwide TikTok ban, or an order that ByteDance divest its TikTok operations in the US.

To get ahead of Trump's calls for a ban, ByteDance started exploring the option to sell off TikTok's US operations, and entertained offers from US investors and tech companies. Trump acquiesced, and gave ByteDance until Sept. 15 to finalize a deal to sell off TikTok's US arm.

The valuation of TikTok's US operations have been pegged anywhere between $10 billion and $50 billion, a high pricepoint that few US companies could afford. Microsoft is the only company to confirm it has entered conversations with ByteDance.

Other names in Silicon Valley have been floated as potential buyers. Twitter is reportedly in "preliminary" talks with ByteDance — but the company would have to raise billions to afford TikTok's massive price.

However, a recent report indicates that acquisition talks for TikTok's US operations are "unlikely" to end in a deal. It may indicate that ByteDance only entertained US buyers as a way to temporarily appease Trump — but has no plans to sell off its massively popular app.

Despite ByteDance's offer to sell the app, Trump has issued an executive order to bar Americans from "any transactions" with TikTok or ByteDance. Before it's set to take effect in 45 days, the order is expected to face legal challenges.

It's clear TikTok isn't going away without a fight. The company said it would "pursue all remedies available to us" one Trump's executive order was signed. TikTok is now reportedly gearing up to sue the Trump administration as soon as Tuesday regarding the order's constitutionality.

If a suit is filed, Trump's executive order will, at the very least, be delayed as the courts review it.

It also remains to be seen whether ByteDance will follow through on its talks to sell off TikTok's US operations. But it seems that the company is waiting to part ways with its 100 million users in the US until it's forced to do so.