One of the most talked-about news stories recently is the prospect of TikTok being acquired by Oracle. The US government announced a "security agreement" with TikTok, assigning responsibility for TikTok 's data storage and security management in the US to the US tech giant Oracle. According to White House officials, this move is intended to prevent Chinese companies (such as parent company ByteDance) from obtaining US users' personal data and spreading false news. However, will TikTok's transfer of ownership truly ensure more secure data protection and content distribution? This question warrants further consideration.
Furthermore, while the exact transaction value has not yet been announced, officials optimistically estimate that the agreement will generate up to $178 billion in economic activity for the United States over the next four years. Is it security, or simply a transfer of risk? In theory, storing data within the United States and managed by American companies does reduce the likelihood that the Chinese government will demand that companies hand over personal data. However, does this mean that American users can rest assured about their personal information?
TikTok undergoes several major changes after its acquisition by Oracle
According to the White House, the agreement between TikTok and the U.S. government includes the following key points:
1. All U.S. user data will be stored in the United States and managed by servers operated by Oracle.
2. Oracle will become a "trusted security provider" and independently monitor the data security of all TikTok users in the United States.
3. TikTok's algorithm will be retrained and run in the United States and will not be controlled by its parent company ByteDance.
4. A board of directors with a background in national security and cybersecurity will be responsible for the supervision and operational decisions of TikTok's US business.
Data centralization is still a risk point
While Oracle is considered a veteran in cybersecurity, any centralized data platform carries the risk of being hacked, misused, or manipulated for political purposes. This also means that even though data is transferred from China to the United States, it remains a "centralized data management" model. The inherent risk hasn't disappeared; it's simply shifted.
Is the push mechanism really "decoupled"?
A White House spokesperson stated that TikTok's algorithm will be retrained and run in the United States, but this leaves many unanswered questions. First, "retraining" the algorithm requires a vast amount of data and time. Will ByteDance still be involved in the transition? Second, the control and ownership of the algorithm's source code are not fully transparent, making it difficult for the outside world to determine whether the so-called "freedom from Chinese control" guarantee can be truly implemented.
Another form of political manipulation and surveillance?
When data is transferred to companies controlled by the US government, does this simply prevent the Chinese government from monitoring Americans, instead making it easier for the US government to monitor Americans? After all, there are precedents of social media platforms collaborating with the US government on big data analysis and advertising manipulation.
Can businesses and creators rest assured?
For ordinary users and creators who rely on TikTok for marketing, this agreement is likely to be a positive in the short term: TikTok will not be banned, service will remain uninterrupted, platform stability will be improved, and it may also attract more advertising budgets. However, in the long term, will the use of data and the platform's content control favor political or commercial interests? This remains to be seen.
Safer, or managed differently?
TikTok's transfer of data to Oracle undoubtedly gives the US government the upper hand in data control. However, whether personal information and content delivery are thus "safer" depends on Oracle's transparency, the extent of government intervention, and the effectiveness of mechanisms to protect user rights. After all, handing data from one controller to another is essentially a form of top-down data governance, and true digital privacy and autonomy remain a long way off.
Observation: Algorithmic issues remain unresolved, and social impact needs to be taken more seriously.
While this agreement appears to be a step forward in data security, the most controversial aspects of the TikTok platform, such as viral "idiot challenge" videos, AI-generated fake news, and algorithmic push mechanisms that encourage young people to imitate bullying, discrimination, and extremist behavior, still lack systemic solutions. These issues cannot be simply resolved by moving servers to the United States or changing data managers.
If platforms continue to prioritize maximizing viewing time and engagement, it will be difficult for their algorithms to prevent themselves from promoting extreme, emotional, and even harmful content. From this perspective, while focusing on where the data resides is crucial, society should also be concerned with how the platforms operate and their long-term impact on young people and democratic societies.
The article " Americans' daily data is transferred from TikTok to Oracle. Is personal data privacy and algorithmic push more secure?" originally appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
