Oracle Reportedly Leads Bid for U.S. TikTok Operations

Oracle has emerged as the leading contender to manage TikTok's U.S. operations amid ongoing negotiations to address national security concerns regarding the app's Chinese ownership. The discussions, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, aim to ensure that American user data is protected from potential access by the Chinese government. However, experts caution that maintaining TikTok's original algorithm under ByteDance's control could pose security risks, as full assurance against unauthorized access may be unattainable. The Biden administration has set an April 5 deadline for either a sale or a ban of the app, a timeline complicated by Trump's previous executive order extending TikTok's operational grace period. Lawmakers remain divided on the proposed deal, with significant skepticism about Oracle's ability to safeguard U.S. data without complete ownership of the app's technology. Critics argue that without a full divestiture from ByteDance, the security issues will persist, undermining the intended purpose of the negotiations.