ByteDance Ltd.

Rule Changes

Parent company of TikTok

On November 6, 2026, the European Commission told TikTok that its For You feed may violate the Digital Services Act. The preliminary findings say the recommender drives users down 'rabbit holes' of videos about sadness, isolation and body image, and that TikTok's tools for breaking those loops do not work.

Updated 2 days ago

Rule Changes

Shut companion features before the rules took effect

Min's AI girlfriend vanished in mid-July 2026, when China's rules on human-like AI services took effect. She cried until she was exhausted and joined other Chinese users mourning virtual partners, friends and even parents.

Updated Oct 31

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Named defendant in Alabama's lawsuit; party to the settlement

Alabama announced a settlement with TikTok on September 25, 2026, days before the case was to open as the first US state trial over teen safety on the app. TikTok will pay Alabama at least $100 million and apply new limits to teenage users in the state.

Updated Sep 29

Money Moves

As of September 2026: Borrower; one of the world's largest private tech companies

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has secured a $29.6 billion loan from nearly 30 banks. It's the second-largest dollar-denominated loan in Asia this year, behind only SoftBank's $40 billion March raise.

Updated Sep 5

Money Moves

As of May 2026: Retains 19.9% non-controlling stake

For five years, the world's most popular social media app lived under a death sentence. TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, faced repeated ban threats from two administrations convinced its Chinese ownership posed an unacceptable national security risk. On January 23, 2026, that uncertainty ended: TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC became operational, transferring 80.1% ownership to American and allied investors while ByteDance retained a non-controlling 19.9% stake.

Updated May 22

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Retains 19.9% ownership in TikTok U.S. entity; loses data access and algorithm control over American operations

The deal closed on January 22, 2026. TikTok's U.S. operations now belong to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC—a new entity where Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi's MGX each hold 15%, existing ByteDance investor affiliates hold 30.1%, and ByteDance itself retains exactly 19.9%.

Updated May 15