TikTok says US threatens ban if China stake not sold

The video-sharing app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is accused of posing a national security risk through data gathered from millions of users.

A request for a change in ownership, first reported in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) was confirmed to the news by TikTok. The company said a forced sale would not change its data flows or access. The White House has not yet responded to a news request for comment.

For years American officials have raised concerns that data from the popular app could fall into the hands of the Chinese government. According to the WSJ, US President Joe Biden’s administration wants ByteDance to divest itself of TikTok to create a clear break from China.

The newspaper said the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States(CFIUS) which oversees national security risks, unanimously recommended ByteDance divest from TikTok.