The platform's new ownership highlighted its government-mandated priorities, such as securing US user data, apps and the algorithm "through comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity measures".

They aim to safeguard the US content ecosystem "through robust trust and safety policies and content moderation," promising to ensure continuous accountability through transparency reporting and third-party certifications.

Here's a bit more on those priorities, per the statement:

Data Protection: US user data will be protected by USDS Joint Venture in Oracle's secure US cloud environment. The Joint Venture will operate a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program that is audited and certified by third party cybersecurity experts. The program will adhere to major industry standards, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CSF and 800-53 and ISO 27001 as well as the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Security Requirements for Restricted Transactions.

Algorithm Security: The Joint Venture will retrain, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm on US user data. The content recommendation algorithm will be secured in Oracle's US cloud environment.

Software Assurance: The Joint Venture will secure US apps through software assurance protocols, and review and validate source code on an ongoing basis, assisted by its Trusted Security Partner, Oracle.

Trust & Safety: The Joint Venture will safeguard the US content ecosystem and have decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and content moderation.

TikTok says the joint venture will operate as an independent entity governed by a seven-member, majority-American board of directors.

Here's the list of board of directors:

• Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok who leads the company's global businesses and strategy
• Timothy Dattels, a senior advisor to TPG Global and former partner and chairman of TPG Asia, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee
• Mark Dooley, the managing director at Susquehanna International Group
• Egon Durban, the co-CEO of Silver Lake, whose portfolio including Dell Technologies, Qualtrics, TKO Group, Unity and Waymo.
• Raul Fernandez, president and CEO of DXC Technology
• Kenneth Glueck of Oracle, where he advises the CEO on global strategy, business, M&A, technology, policy, and regulatory matters
• David Scott, the chief strategy and safety officer at MGX, a state-owned investment firm in the UAE

Adam Presser, formerly of WarnerMedia, was appointed today as the CEO of the USDS Joint Venture and is set to "secure US user data, apps, and the algorithm, while driving business growth for TikTok, CapCut, and additional apps and websites in the US".

He will be joined by Will Farrell, who will serve as the chief security officer and oversee the Joint Venture's "comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program."

There are three managing investors for TikTok's US operations, each holding a 15% stake:

• Silver Lake - an American tech investment platform that says it holds approximately $116bn in assets (£85.9bn)
• Oracle - the US software giant that lists Larry Ellison as a co-founder, the world's second richest person last year according to Forbes
• MGX - a firm "born in the UAE" that chiefly invests in AI and tech that enables the "AI fabric of the global economy"

ByteDance, the Chinese company, continues to hold a 19.9% stake in the joint venture.

The remaining 35.1% of the company is owned by: the Dell Family Office, Vastmere Strategic Investments, Alpha Wave Partners, Revolution, Meritt Way, Via Nova, Virgo LI, and NJJ Capital.

For a little more context on how this deal came about, remember that last year the US Supreme Court upheld a law passed in April 2024 that banned TikTok unless its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance sold its US division.

TikTok went dark for 12-14 hours in January 2025 after the law came into effect, before US President Donald Trump intervened and issued a 75-day postponement.

The US Justice Department had said TikTok's access to data on American users posed "a national-security threat of immense depth and scale".

But ByteDance repeatedly insisted that its US operations were fully independent and no data had been shared with the Chinese government.

The company also argued that the ban would violate free speech protections for its 170 million US users.

In September, Trump announced that a deal has been made between the US and China to keep TikTok running in the US and that he had the blessing of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At the heart of the years-long tussle is TikTok's algorithm - the "secret sauce" that recommends content to users based on their preferences and behaviours.

The announcement says that the new business "will retrain, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm on US user data".

And that it will be secured in "Oracle's US cloud environment."

Here's what we know so far about the deal:

• TikTok says a majority stake in its US operations has been sold to investors including Silver Lake, Oracle and MGX (which will each hold 15%). Other investors include: Dell Family Office and Vastemere Strategic Investments
• It would enable more than 200 million Americans and 7.5 million businesses to "continue to discover, create, and thrive as part of TikTok's vibrant global community and experience", the company's statement said
• This deal is meant to loosen China's ownership over the social media platform. TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance
• The White House had threatened to ban the app unless it was sold to non-Chinese entities, citing national security concerns
• Last month, ByteDance signed a series of deals with American and global investors to keep its business running in the US

The announcement says the deal is "in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025".

It adds that the "majority American owned Joint Venture will operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for US users".

This means that more than 200 million Americans and 7.5 million businesses will be able continue to use the short-video platform.

The hugely popular short-video app was due to be banned in the US in January 2025 if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, failed to sell its operations in the country to US investors.

US President Donald Trump repeatedly postponed enforcement of that law, which was signed into law by his predecessor Joe Biden.

Lawmakers said at the time that ByteDance's links to the Chinese government threatened national security, and expressed fears Beijing could force the company to hand over the data of US users. Both TikTok and ByteDance have consistently denied the claim.

Tiktok has announced that it has sold its majority stake in the hugely popular social platform.

Majority American ownership for the app has been established, mostly by tech titans Oracle and Silver Lake, in compliance with US President Donald Trump's executive order in September - ending the years-long legal saga and a potential ban of the app.

Stick with us and we'll bring you the latest updates.