While Oracle gains control over US user data, ByteDance retains significant influence through algorithm licensing and the crucial ability to provide updates. This control over the algorithm, combined with China's regulations on technology exports, allows the Chinese government to potentially leverage TikTok as a diplomatic tool. Therefore, the deal doesn't eliminate Chinese influence; it simply shifts the dynamic, creating a new risk of enduring technological dependence for the US.
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Senior Fellow, Asia Global Institute
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The University of Hong Kong
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