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Lawmakers Question TikTok Deal That Lets ByteDance Keep Algorithm Control

By  |  October 16, 2025

The chair of the House Select Committee on China expressed alarm Thursday over reports that a proposed deal involving the sale of TikTok’s US assets could allow continued Chinese influence through a licensing agreement for the app’s algorithm.

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    According to Reuters, Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who leads the committee, said the prospect of Chinese-based ByteDance retaining any control over TikTok’s recommendation system “raises serious concerns.” He added that he is awaiting a briefing to learn more details about the proposed agreement, which U.S. officials said would involve licensing the algorithm to the new American owners of TikTok’s domestic operations.

    “I think anytime you have (China) with leverage over the algorithm, I think that’s a problem,” Moolenaar said at a forum, per Reuters. His comments underscore growing bipartisan apprehension in Washington that Beijing could retain indirect access to user data or influence content seen by U.S. audiences through the algorithm, even if ownership changes hands.

    Read more: House Committee Chair Vows to Scrutinize TikTok Divestment Plan

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order on September 25 approving the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a consortium of American and international investors, determining that the arrangement satisfies national security standards set out in a 2024 law. The law was designed to compel ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban.

    As Reuters reported, the licensing plan remains under review by federal officials and lawmakers, many of whom have warned that maintaining any technological dependence on ByteDance could undermine the goal of insulating the app from Chinese government influence.

    The White House has said that ensuring protection of Americans’ data and preventing foreign interference in online platforms remain top priorities as it evaluates the final structure of the deal.

    Source: Reuters