The popular video-sharing app TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, may face a possible ban in the United States if not sold due to concerns over national security risks.
The US government has accused TikTok of gathering data from millions of users, potentially posing a security threat to the country.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) first reported the request for a change in ownership, which TikTok later confirmed.
TikTok has stated that a forced sale would not alter its data flows or access.
US officials have been concerned for years that data from the app could fall into the hands of the Chinese government.
The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS), which oversees national security risks, unanimously recommended ByteDance divest from TikTok, according to the WSJ.
Although TikTok confirmed it had been contacted by CFIUS, a spokesperson for the company disputed the reporting, stating that a change in ownership would not address the national security concerns.
Former US President Donald Trump had threatened to ban TikTok in 2020, and now, President Joe Biden’s administration has continued to express concerns about the social network’s data collection practices.
The proposed Restrict Act, unveiled in the Senate, could expand the president’s authority to ban TikTok nationwide by allowing the US Commerce Department to declare foreign-linked companies as national security risks.
TikTok has faced scrutiny not only in the United States but also in Canada, where it is under investigation by privacy authorities.
It is banned on government phones in the US, Canada, and the EU. Its CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is scheduled to testify before the US Congress next week.
