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TikTok Developing New U.S. App Version Ahead of Expected Sale, Report Says

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TikTok is reportedly building a new version of its app for U.S. users in anticipation of a planned sale to a group of investors, according to a report by The Information on Sunday citing unnamed sources.

Summary:

  • New U.S. App Launch:
    TikTok aims to launch the new app on U.S. app stores by September 5. Users will eventually need to download this new version to continue accessing the service, although the current app is expected to function until March next year. This timeline may be subject to change.

  • Background on Sale:
    The move comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement last Friday that talks with China regarding a possible TikTok deal would begin early this week. Trump stated the U.S. “pretty much” has a deal in place for the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

  • Deadline Extension:
    Trump had extended ByteDance’s deadline to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets to September 17. Earlier efforts to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a U.S.-based company majority-owned by American investors stalled after China expressed disapproval, partly due to escalating U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

  • Approval Needed:
    Trump acknowledged that any deal would likely require approval from China. TikTok and ByteDance have not commented on the report, and Reuters could not independently verify the information.

Trump Announces Upcoming Talks with China on TikTok Deal

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U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that talks with China regarding a possible TikTok deal will begin early next week, with discussions likely on Monday or Tuesday.

Summary:

  • Trump said the U.S. “pretty much” has a deal for the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.

  • The talks could involve Chinese President Xi Jinping or his representatives.

  • Last month, Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest its U.S. assets to September 17.

  • Earlier plans to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a majority U.S.-owned company stalled after China indicated it might not approve the deal amid escalating U.S.-China tariff tensions.

  • Trump expressed cautious optimism about the deal being approved by China, citing a positive personal relationship with President Xi.

  • He emphasized that the deal would be beneficial for both countries.

Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Trial Finds Age-Checking Software Can Work

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Organizers of the world’s largest trial of age assurance technology say that software-based methods to enforce Australia’s upcoming ban on under-16s using social media are feasible, despite some limitations. The government-commissioned Age Assurance Technology Trial involved over 1,000 Australian school students and hundreds of adults.

Starting this December, companies such as Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), Snapchat, and TikTok must demonstrate they take reasonable steps to block users under 16 or face fines up to A$49.5 million (approximately $32 million). This makes Australia the first country to implement such a ban.

Concerns have been raised by child protection advocates, tech groups, and youths about the enforceability of the ban, citing methods like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that mask users’ locations.

Tony Allen, CEO of the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme overseeing the trial, stated, “Age assurance can be done in Australia privately, efficiently and effectively.” The trial concluded there are “no significant tech barriers” to deploying such software, though no single solution works perfectly in all cases.

Allen also highlighted risks around data privacy, noting that some firms may over-collect data beyond what regulators or law enforcement would require in the future.

While detailed data and product names were not disclosed, a final report will be submitted to the government next month to guide upcoming industry consultations before the December enforcement deadline.

The office of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner commented that preliminary results indicate age assurance tech, if used properly alongside other methods, can be “private, robust and effective.”

Australia’s approach is being closely monitored internationally as other governments consider measures to protect children from social media exposure.