Company Releases Internal Documents Highlighting Stalled Negotiations
TikTok is facing a potential ban in the US due to national security concerns. In a legal challenge against the ban, the company has released internal documents accusing the Biden administration of engaging in “political demagoguery” during negotiations.
Lawsuit Targets Secretive Government Committee
The lawsuit, filed by TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, targets the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This secretive inter-agency panel reviews corporate deals for potential national security risks.
Negotiations Claimed to Have Stalled After Draft Agreement
According to TikTok, negotiations with CFIUS between 2021 and 2022 resulted in a draft security agreement. This agreement outlined enhanced safeguards for US user data and a “kill switch” for CFIUS to shut down the platform if necessary. However, TikTok alleges CFIUS stopped negotiating after receiving the draft.
TikTok Claims Further Negotiations Demanded Divestment
Internal documents mention additional meetings in 2023. According to TikTok, US officials demanded a complete divestment by ByteDance and the relocation of TikTok’s source code out of China.
Divestment Seen as Impractical by TikTok
The lawsuit argues that complete divestment is technologically impossible. The law would require separating millions of lines of code from ByteDance, severing any operational connection between the Chinese company and the US app.
