How the TikTok deal betrays US national security, ensuring the triumph of China's strategy

The framework agreement between the United States and China on TikTok is not a diplomatic solution, but a blatant and humiliating surrender by Washington. Far from being a fair compromise, this agreement represents a geopolitical farce that translates into a formidable victory for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and a disaster for U.S. national security. While the U.S. administration hides behind the illusion of a "deal," it has effectively handed Beijing the most powerful weapon for psychological influence, disinformation, and political warfare: the algorithm that shapes the perception and behavior of 170 million Americans.

This combination of pictures created on May 14, 2020 shows recent portraits of China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump.. US President Donald Trump said on May 14, 2020, he is no mood to speak with China's Xi Jinping, warning darkly he might cut off ties with the rival superpower over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. "I have a very good relationship, but I just -- right now I don't want to speak to him," Trump told Fox Business. (Photo by Dan Kitwood and Nicholas Kamm / various sources / AFP) (Photo by DAN KITWOODNICHOLAS KAMM/POOL/AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

This agreement, which was supposed to resolve the dispute, is in reality an act of self-sabotage. Although an American investor consortium, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, is expected to hold a majority 80% stake in the new entity, the crucial and unacceptable point is that the TikTok algorithm will not be sold, but only licensed. This technical detail is the key to a strategic flaw: it leaves operational control and influence in the hands of ByteDance and, ultimately, the Chinese government. The entire "divestiture" effort has been rendered completely useless and dangerous.

The Deal that Hands Over Control to the Enemy: Oracle's Role and the Smoke Screen

The agreement, known as "Project Texas," entrusts Oracle with the task of hosting U.S. user data on its data centers. This arrangement is particularly significant for Oracle because of the great computational capacity the company has and the reported shortage of data center infrastructure in the U.S.. However, the difference between a license and a transfer of ownership is not trivial. The licensing arrangement creates an ongoing dependence and potential "back doors" that allow ByteDance, and therefore the Chinese government, to maintain its influence. The real threat doesn't lie in the formal ownership, but in the control of the algorithm that shapes the perceptions and behavior of millions of Americans.

The Algorithm: A Weapon of Psychological Warfare and a Direct Threat to National Security

Washington's biggest, and unforgivable, mistake is the underestimation of the TikTok recommendation algorithm. It is not a simple piece of software, but a sophisticated weapon of psychological influence, considered the company's most valuable intangible asset. By leaving it in China's hands, the United States has granted Beijing the ability to:

• Suppress Unwanted Content: The algorithm can easily censor videos on subjects "politically sensitive" to the CCP, such as the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, protests in Hong Kong, or the Tiananmen Square protests, ensuring these topics disappear from American users' feeds.

• Promote State Propaganda: It can push content that portrays China and its interests in a positive light, subtly influencing public opinion on a massive scale.

• Polarize Society and Compromise Stability: By modifying trends and the content users see, the algorithm can exacerbate social and political divisions, fueling disinformation and compromising the stability of U.S. democracy. Critics have even warned that the CCP could "collect sensitive national security information from U.S. government employees and develop profiles on millions of Americans for use in blackmail or espionage".

The Chinese Playbook: Turning Defeat into a Global Victory

Washington's humiliation has been fully exploited by the CCP, which has followed its proven "playbook" to turn a potential defeat into a total propaganda victory. The extent of the U.S. diplomatic failure is evident in Beijing's reaction. Chinese media have hailed the outcome as proof that China can resist U.S. pressure and negotiate from a position of strength, setting "boundaries" against its "bitter enemy".

This message is sent not only to the domestic audience but, most importantly, to nations in the Global South. The goal is to demonstrate that the U.S.-led world order can be challenged and that China is an ally capable of protecting its own interests and offering an alternative. In an era of increasing rivalry, Beijing has shown that its "coordinated" diplomacy is superior to America's disunited foreign policy. The CCP has exploited its total control over companies like ByteDance to conduct a centralized bargaining strategy, an asymmetry that the American democratic system has been unable to counter.

The Legal Fallacy and the Betrayal of Sovereignty

The TikTok agreement solves nothing from a legal standpoint; it only makes the problem worse. Chinese laws require companies and citizens to cooperate with state intelligence authorities. This means that even if user data is on U.S. servers, there is no guarantee that ByteDance will not be forced to provide access or manipulate the algorithm according to Beijing's directives. The "license" for the algorithm is a deception that creates an ongoing dependency and allows China to maintain its influence.

As demonstrated in the past with the systematic violations of WTO rules, the anti-commercial espionage agreement with President Obama, and the ruling on the Philippines case, the CCP regards international agreements as "worthless paper" when they go against its interests. In a context where there is no binding force, the TikTok deal is merely a means for Beijing to continue its malicious activities with a veneer of legality.

This agreement is a grave and unforgivable strategic failure for the United States, an act that grants a power without precedent to the main geopolitical adversary. Washington has surrendered control over a fundamental weapon of influence, demonstrating a severe lack of resolve in protecting its vital interests.