TikTok Survives In The US As Australia Tightens Social Media Ban On Teenagers

Social media has become central to how people connect, share, understand, and even influence the world around them. However, with that influence comes big questions about who owns these platforms, how safe our data is, and how younger users can be protected.

Globally, governments, investors, and tech companies are trying to figure it out. From international deals to new tools for age verification, the way social media platforms operate is under closer scrutiny than ever. Let’s see what unfolded this week. Read on!

TikTok isn’t going anywhere in the U.S., at least for now. The U.S. and China have struck a deal to shift the app’s American assets to U.S. ownership, clearing up months of questions about its future. President Donald Trump announced the agreement on Tuesday, a major move for the short-video platform that’s become a daily habit for 170 million Americans.

The deal comes after a rocky stretch for TikTok in the U.S. Earlier this year, CEO Shou Zi Chew attended a ceremony, where then President-elect Trump promised to hold off on a ban.

That ban was briefly enforced on President Biden’s last day in office but was rolled back within hours once Trump returned. His first executive order gave TikTok a 75-day extension and raised the idea of U.S. ownership or tariffs on China, underscoring how tied the app’s fate was to U.S.–China tensions.

Trump said at a White House briefing, “We have a deal on TikTok ... We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it,” without giving further details. The White House extended the previous September 17 deadline to December 16, giving ByteDance 90 more days to finalize the transfer.

The deal, expected to close within 30 to 45 days, would leave ByteDance with a 19.9% stake. The majority would go to U.S. investors like SIG, KKR, Andreessen Horowitz, Oracle, and others with the new company being led by an American-heavy board, including one member picked by the U.S. government.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “This deal wouldn't be done without proper safeguards for U.S. national security. It seems as though we were also able to meet the Chinese interest.” Oracle will continue handling TikTok’s U.S. cloud and data operations, keeping user information secure domestically.

This is not just a win for the United States, but the deal signals progress on the international front.


China has praised the U.S. deal to move TikTok’s American operations under U.S. control, calling it a “win-win.” In a Wednesday editorial, the state-run People’s Daily said Beijing will review TikTok’s technology exports and intellectual property licensing “in accordance with the law.”

After months of back-and-forth, the deal is being seen as real progress. Now, investors are waiting on a Friday call between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping to make it official.

The commentary, signed “Zhong Sheng” or “Voice of China,” framed the agreement as based on “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”

The plan would shift TikTok’s U.S. assets from China’s ByteDance to American owners, similar to an earlier deal that fell apart after Trump rolled out new tariffs on Chinese goods. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has hinted that the current deadline could be pushed back another 90 days.

The shift also opens the door for American investors to take a lead in the ownership of the social video sharing platform.



TikTok’s future in the U.S. is heading for a major shake-up. The Wall Street Journal reports that Oracle, Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz could take control of roughly 80% of TikTok’s American business under a deal being hammered out between Washington and Beijing.

The board would be dominated by U.S. members, including one appointed by the government. To meet security concerns, Oracle is expected to store American user data at its Texas facilities. Meanwhile, TikTok has been testing a U.S.-only app with its own algorithm and data system, which current users may be asked to switch to. Well, the terms are still being finalized.

However, this was far from the only move being made in the social media landscape. Other countries are exploring ways to regulate social media for their younger users.

Australia’s upcoming teen social media ban is bringing an unexpected player into the mix, the nation’s banks. ConnectID, software owned by the country’s biggest lenders, is being tested to help enforce the December rollout.

The tool can check a person’s age using their bank account details and is being paired with k-ID, a Singapore-based company that estimates age from selfies. ConnectID said it’s offering its technology as a stand-alone option but hasn’t signed any clients yet.

k-ID confirmed some social media companies are already testing the system in Australia, though it wouldn’t name them.

The partnership could also expand to gaming platforms, which have their own rules for protecting young users. If it goes ahead, Australia’s banks could play a key role in rolling out age verification for one of the world’s most closely watched efforts to keep teens safe online.

Is this the right approach to enforce age limits on social media platforms? Does ByteDance’s deal to resolve TikTok’s U.S. saga signal a thawing in US-China relations?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!