Sources say ByteDance plans to shut down TikTok in US instead of selling it

ByteDance may prefer to shut down TikTok rather than sell it if legal options to fight a US ban are exhausted. The app’s algorithms are crucial to ByteDance’s operations, making a sale unlikely. Despite having over a billion users, TikTok operates at a loss and represents a small part of ByteDance’s total revenues. The company stated it has no plans to sell, even with pressure from legislation. ByteDance’s financial data is not publicly disclosed, but they continue to make most of their money in China. The company is unlikely to consider separating TikTok’s algorithms from its US assets due to complexities, and China has expressed resistance to a forced sale.

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