Will TikTok disappear from the United States? While Donald Trump wanted to ban his country's social network this weekend, the takeover of the company could finally become an option. Microsoft thus confirmed on Sunday that negotiations were underway to buy the American branch of TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The computer giant even spoke with the tenant of the White House about it.
Microsoft wants to be successful before September 15
Microsoft, which "appreciates the importance of responding to the president's concerns", hopes that the talks will be concluded by September 15 at the latest. The acquisition will be subject to "a complete security assessment and should bring economic benefits to the United States, including the US Treasury," said the group.
Amid political and trade tensions with China, Washington has accused the popular platform for months of being used by Chinese intelligence for surveillance purposes. TikTok has always firmly denied any data sharing with Beijing. But that does not convince the US executive. Since Friday, the president and his close advisers have been making threats against the social network. Donald Trump declared Friday evening that he was banning the app and was even opposed to a takeover by an American group. The TikTok application must be “sold or blocked” in the United States, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also warned on Sunday.
If ultimately a transaction takes place, Microsoft will own and run the social network in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Minority shareholders may join the operation. "Microsoft will ensure that all data from US TikTok users is transferred and remains in the US," the Seattle-based company promised. In the meantime, the president "will take action in the coming days in response to the various national security risks posed by software related to the Chinese Communist Party", declared for his part the head of American diplomacy Mike Pompeo. .
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