"Beijing's stance on selling the video-sharing platform has softened amid other disputes with Washington. China railed for years against the United States's bid to force the sale of TikTok, once accusing Washington of demonstrating robbers' logic in response to the platform's success. Now, Beijing is touting talks on how the video-sharing platform's Chinese owner, ByteDance, might relinquish ownership of its US operations."
"Most crucial of all is the question of who would own and control TikTok's recommendations algorithm, which has been credited with powering the platform's explosive popularity in the US, where it claims more than 170 million users. Under Chinese export controls introduced in 2020, companies are prohibited from transferring sensitive technologies like TikTok's algorithm without government approval. As recently as last month, the state-run China Daily warned in an editorial that the export restrictions presented a red line for the TikTok transaction."
"The turnaround has raised questions about what China might expect in return, with analysts suggesting that Beijing has come to view TikTok as a useful bargaining chip to win concessions on more pressing issues. China has yet to confirm a deal on TikTok, which Washington has cast as a propaganda tool of Beijing and a threat to privacy, and there are numerous outstanding questions about what a sale would entail."
Beijing has softened its stance on selling the US arm of ByteDance's TikTok amid broader disputes with Washington. China previously opposed US efforts to force a sale but is now promoting talks about ByteDance relinquishing ownership of US operations. The shift raises questions about what concessions China might seek in return, with analysts saying Beijing may use TikTok as leverage for trade, curbs on Chinese tech, and Taiwan-related demands. Washington frames TikTok as a propaganda and privacy threat. Control of the recommendation algorithm is central because Chinese export controls bar transferring such sensitive technology without approval. The state-run China Daily warned that export restrictions are a red line for any transaction, and analysts say China would expect major concessions if it hands over algorithm control.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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