Microsoft, TikTok officials in White House talks to prevent total ban: sources

As Microsoft considers a buyout of social media app TikTok, officials from the big tech company and well as executives representing TikTok have been in discussions with the White House to prevent the Trump administration from issuing a complete ban of the app, FOX Business has learned.

Those discussions come as President Trump is poised to issue an order that could ban the app from being used in the U. S. over security concerns or allow a U.S.-based company to buy the outfit, pending a security review. A decision is expected either Monday or Tuesday, people close to the matter tell FOX Business.

The Trump administration has been weighing TikTok's fate since last year, launching an investigation into the short video company amid fears that its Bejing-based parent Bytedance shares customer information with the Communist Chinese government.

As first reported by FOX Business, Bytedance entered into talks about a month ago with Microsoft to buy TikTok's U. S. operations as a way to save the business from a decision by the administration that would prevent the popular app from being used by U.S. consumers.

Over the weekend, as the administration weighed TikTok's fate, two powerful GOP lawmakers, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voiced support for the administration's review of TikTok as well as for the Microsoft purchase as a way to allow TikTok's 80 million U. S. users to continue to use the app.

Meanwhile, FOX Business has learned that talks about a possible Microsoft purchase of TikTok aren't on pause, but negotiators are waiting for the administration's final decision. President Trump said on Friday that his administration was moving toward a total ban of the app on U. S. soil, but he has also indicated he might be open to a deal where the company is purchased by a U.S. company like Microsoft.

According to people ... (Read more)

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