It seems like another possible resolution to the ongoing TikTok tug-of-war in the US has emerged. According to a report by The Information, TikTok is currently developing a second version of the app designed to be used in the US.
The report claims that the company plans on launching this new version of the app on 5 September. Users in the country will then have to download the new app to continue using TikTok, although the existing version will continue to work until next March. That said, the timeline is not set in stone.
Of course, we still have no information on how a US-only TikTok will work, or if users on this version of the app are visible to users in regions outside of the US. At the moment, the platform hosts a variety of prominent accounts including brands and content creators. These accounts could be cut off from their audience if the new app limits interaction to within the US only.
Previously, President Donald Trump extended the deadline for the TikTok to 17 September, making it the third extension to be given. Following the extension, Trump claimed that the US “pretty much” has a deal for the sale of the video app to a group of investors. Last week, the US president announced that he will begin talks with China regarding a possible TikTok deal.
The idea of handing off the app’s US operations to American companies has been in the works since the beginning of the year. However, it had been put on hold due to the tensions between the US and China over the steep tariffs imposed on the latter.
(Source: Reuters)
