ByteDance plans to sell TikTok's US arm without source code

ByteDance may not hand over the code used to build TikTok's algorithm as part of its sale to a US buyer, a report claims, with the Chinese tech company apparently informing bidders and authorities in the US about the change in stance.

With the deadline for divestment of TikTok's US operations looming, ByteDance is keen to get a sale through. But ahead of Tuesday's deadline for negotiations, ByteDance has apparently changed what is actually being put up for sale in the first place.A source of the South China Morning Post claims ByteDance "will not hand out source code to any US buyer" for TikTok. However, the source adds "the technology team of TikTok in the US can develop a new algorithm," suggesting the change of terms isn't a major roadblock for anyone buying the business, but it would add new obstacles.

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