TikTok’s future in the US has reached a major milestone today, as the new US-owned spinoff for American users has officially launched. Here’s what that means for TikTok users in the US today, and moving forward.
US ownership established for TikTok’s American spinoff
One year ago, and very briefly, TikTok shut down in the US. The move was made in compliance with legislation requiring the China-based company sell to American ownership or cease operating in the country.
Very quickly though, a series of executive orders ultimately led to TikTok being restored as a process was worked out for the service to keep operating in the US under American ownership.
Today, the “TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC” has been formally established as that new ownership.
Today, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025, now enabling 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 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 U.S. users.
One question on many US TikTok users’ minds is what this means for the app.
Previous reporting said that TikTok’s algorithm would be retrained “from the ground up” by its new ownership. And that’s been confirmed in the press release, along with mentions of other behind-the-scenes changes to expect.
What the new TikTok ownership plans to change
Here’s everything that the new US-owned TikTok spinoff plans to do, per the press release:
- Data Protection: U.S. user data will be protected by USDS Joint Venture in Oracle’s secure U.S. 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 U.S. user data. The content recommendation algorithm will be secured in Oracle’s U.S. cloud environment.
- Software Assurance: The Joint Venture will secure U.S. 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 U.S. content ecosystem and have decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and content moderation.
As the above paragraphs make clear, much of what’s changing will happen behind the scenes. The new US company will be responsible for ensuring the privacy and security of its users, but that likely won’t come with visible changes.
However, one big area TikTok is expected to change involves the content users see. That’s because the new company will “retrain, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data.”
This change could potentially lead to more relevant recommendations for US users, but it’s also very possible the opposite will happen and the app’s quality will reduce over time.
What are you expecting will change with TikTok under new US ownership? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
