Oracle has emerged as the leading candidate to take over TikTok's U.S. operations, with negotiations in "advanced stages" led by Vice President JD Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Key aspects of the potential deal:

• The agreement would task Oracle with overseeing American users' data security
• ByteDance would retain control of its recommendation algorithm
• The deal is dubbed 'Project Texas 2.0,' following the previous data relocation agreement
• Concerns remain about Chinese government access through algorithm control
• April 5 deadline set by President Trump's 75-day stay executive order

Significant challenges exist with the proposed arrangement. Sources familiar with the discussions warn it would be impossible to guarantee complete protection from Chinese government access, particularly since ByteDance would maintain control over the recommendation algorithm.

Previous attempts at data security through 'Project Texas 1.0' proved inadequate, with ByteDance engineers maintaining backdoor access despite agreements to block such access.

While Trump has confirmed discussions with four different groups, Oracle remains favored due to Trump's relationship with Larry Ellison. The administration expresses confidence in meeting the April 5 deadline, though ByteDance's willingness to transfer operations remains uncertain.

Related Articles

Previous Articles