“China keeps the algorithm”: Critics attack Trump’s TikTok deal

The article discusses the controversy surrounding the proposed deal between the US government and TikTok, the popular video-sharing platform owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The article states that the deal requires the US to create its own version of TikTok, which has been criticized by some as an attempt to keep the algorithm and control the platform. The article notes that the deal was negotiated by the Trump administration, which had previously threatened to ban TikTok in the US due to national security concerns over the app's Chinese ownership. The proposed deal would see TikTok's US operations being acquired by American companies, including Oracle and Walmart, but would still require the US government to develop its own version of the app. Critics argue that this approach allows the US to maintain control over the platform's algorithm and data, effectively keeping the "secret sauce" of TikTok's success. The article also mentions concerns about the potential impact on user privacy and the precedent this deal might set for future technology acquisitions involving national security concerns.