US officials push for forced sale of TikTok's US operations
Some officials in the Biden Administration call for a forced sale of TikTok, arguing that the app is allegedly influencing users.
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TikTok would be banned from most US government devices under a government spending bill passed by Congress. (AP)
Some US administration officials are pushing for the forced sale of Chinese-owned TikTok's US operations, citing security concerns, according to US media.
The report cites people familiar with the situation, and the move is designed to ensure that China cannot use the app for alleged political influence and espionage. TikTok has repeatedly denied that it has links to the Chinese government.
The sale proposal was discussed by the US Committee on Foreign Investment, an interagency government panel that has been holding talks with TikTok for over two years to separate the company’s data and operations "from the Chinese government."
Both the Pentagon and Justice Department representatives support the forced sale on the panel, the report said, adding that the Chinese owner should be separated from the app, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.
The Treasury Department, which chairs the panel, is seeking other possible solutions, as more than 100 million Americans use the TikTok app in the United States.
Former US President Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to drive TikTok under US control.
The company declined to comment on the forced sale prospect, adding that it can address the US government's concerns.
Read next: Congress presents bill to ban TikTok to 'protect citizens'
Earlier this week, in its latest attempt to assure the US government and convince it to stay operational under its owner ByteDance, the Chinese app TikTok offered to subject an increased amount of its business to foreign auditing.
A report published by Reuters said that the popular app has been "seeking to assure US government departments and agencies for the last three years" that China's Communist Party (CCP) can't access the "personal data of US citizens" nor influence its content.
TikTok has come under severe attack from within the Democratic and Republican parties, while the US administration is considering a proposal regarding the continuation of the app's operation in the United States.
