A US official familiar with the behind-the-scenes negotiations revealed that many technical aspects of the potential deal were already resolved. But progress hit a deadlock after Chinese officials linked the agreement to unrelated issues such as US tariffs and technology restrictions.
The official, who spoke to reporters after a round of talks in Madrid, confirmed that patience in Washington was running thin. Without a compromise soon, the Biden administration may greenlight a nationwide TikTok ban, a decision that would shake millions of users and content creators across America, as Reuters reported.
At the heart of the standoff is not just a social media app, but a wider struggle for dominance in global technology, trade, and data security.
Read more: PTA to block all unregistered mobile phones
The potential ban on TikTok is no longer just about data privacy or national security. Bytedance’s pushback and Beijing’s insistence on tying the app’s fate to wider trade negotiations show how deeply the app is entangled in geopolitical tensions.
For the US, forcing a divestiture is about protecting user data and curbing Chinese influence. For China, however, TikTok has become a bargaining chip in larger disputes over tariffs and technology restrictions.
If no deal is reached, the fallout could reshape not only America’s social media landscape but also intensify the ongoing US-China tech war. For millions of TikTok users in the US, the question now is simple: ban or breakup?
