The Flip Flop on TikTok

 The Flip Flop on TikTok?

By Dominic Alvieri @AlvieriD

ByteDance would own approximately 80% of the new entity, with Oracle being the trusted US technology partner, read host, and 12.5% owner, and Walmart would own 7.5%. 

TikTok would go public in the US next year. Now is the time for US Data Policy Regulation.

Security issues remain with Oracle deal.

ByteDance will still own the majority.

In an amazing turn of events, President Trump has flip flopped on TikTok an now gives his blessing. The pressure to approve this deal is overwhelming. The possible backlash from Beijing. The backlash from devoted users. The backlash from Wall Street. 

The security concerns remain. ByteDance will still retain the majority and incorporating a new entity in any jurisdiction will not change the business fact. If ByteDance requests any data it does not already have, how can a minority owner block that process? Maintaining data in the United States alone would not deny the immutable fact that majority rules and the data grab is already complete. 

The security nightmare begins. MAC addresses have been secretly copied. Data concerns remain.

What would stop any request from the majority owners domiciled government? 

The deal still has several steps towards final approval. China is in support of this 80/20 structure.

TikTok would go public next year and be listed on a US exchange. Venture firms hold stakes.

Wall Street has already called. Wall Street loves this deal. Wall Street loved Luckin Coffee too.

There are cybersecurity issues that remain. Valuable assets with a security nightmare. 

MAC addresses secretly copied. How can you deny a ByteDance request?

Source codes and algorithms will not be released.

Now is the time to create US Data Policy Regulations. We are overdue.

Water is the most valuable commodity. Your data is second. Now is the time.

Dominic Alvieri, @AlvieriD

Analyst, Independent Researcher and Tracker.