By John Q. Hosedrinker 
TikTok CEO Shou Chew informed employees of an agreement to spin off its US assets into a new entity with primarily American investors. This move, which comes after a law mandated divestiture from parent company ByteDance, aims to secure TikTok’s future in the US. The joint venture will be 50% owned by a group including Oracle and Silver Lake, with ByteDance retaining nearly 20% ownership. The deal, which includes data storage and content moderation by the new entity, is expected to close by January 22, 2026, pending approvals from both the US and Chinese governments.
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TikTok has signed the deal to sell its US entity to an American investor group, and it’s understandably stirring up quite the conversation. The initial reactions seem to be a mix of resignation, skepticism, and even a little bit of humor, as the news brings with it a flood of predictions about what the platform might become.
It’s clear that the worry is primarily centered around potential political influence. The common thread here is the fear that TikTok, once it falls under American ownership, will inevitably become a mouthpiece for a particular political agenda, specifically the right-wing, or MAGA-aligned views. The concern is that the platform might be used for propaganda and election manipulation, which understandably raises alarm bells. Some users are already mentally preparing to delete the app, assuming its character will be irrevocably changed.
The question of who will control TikTok is a central point of discussion. The name “Larry Ellison” crops up, and the thought that he might be involved leads to immediate assumptions about the platform’s future. The implication is that a conservative billionaire’s ownership would spell the end of the TikTok as people know it, transforming it into a space filled with right-wing content. The sale is perceived by some as the US capitalising on user data and content, a concern further fueling the sentiment of selling out.
On the other hand, the reality is that the sale focuses on the American assets and data. International users of TikTok will, apparently, remain unaffected by the change in ownership, meaning the platform will continue to have diverse content and algorithms in the rest of the world. This raises questions about how American and international content will be managed.
Some individuals feel that there’s a degree of hypocrisy in how the situation is viewed. They feel that it’s okay for the EU to regulate TikTok to protect its citizens’ information, but when the US takes control of its portion, it is perceived as a bad move. The idea of users then flocking to different Chinese apps is seen as inconsistent by a few.
The conversation touches upon the history of the platform, the algorithm being its main strength, and how difficult it will be for any competitor to come near it. Some people never used TikTok in the first place, and others will simply replace the app with alternatives.
The issue of data security and privacy also comes up. Some people believe that the sale is only happening to secure the American user data, and the fears extend to the American-based tech giants as well. There is the feeling that American companies will also sell user data to China if they could benefit financially from it.
The overall sentiment is a mixture of cynicism and acceptance. Users are unsure of what to expect from the platform but believe that the changes are irreversible. It is clear that the ownership change will inevitably impact the content and that the app could very well become a platform for spreading propaganda.