Sen. Markey Calls for Congressional Probe Into TikTok Deal, Cites Transparency Gaps

Democratic Senator Ed Markey said Friday that Congress should investigate a newly finalized deal involving TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, arguing that the agreement leaves too many critical questions unanswered.

The deal, completed Thursday, would create a majority American-owned joint venture designed to safeguard U.S. user data and keep TikTok operating in the United States, potentially avoiding a nationwide ban. But Markey said the lack of public details raises serious concerns.

“The White House has provided virtually no details about this agreement, including whether TikTok’s algorithm is truly free of Chinese influence,” Markey said in a statement. “This lack of transparency reeks. Congress has a responsibility to investigate this deal, demand transparency, and ensure that any arrangement truly protects national security while keeping TikTok online.”

Neither the White House nor TikTok immediately responded to Markey’s criticism. TikTok currently has more than 200 million users in the United States.

ByteDance said the new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will be responsible for securing U.S. user data, applications, and algorithms through enhanced privacy and cybersecurity protections. However, the company disclosed few specifics about how the divestiture would work in practice.

The agreement marks a major turning point for TikTok after years of legal and political battles over national security concerns. Those disputes began in August 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to ban the app, a move that ultimately failed.

In April 2024, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a ban by January 2025 a measure later upheld by the Supreme Court. Trump ultimately chose not to enforce the ban, saying the deal met the law’s divestiture requirements.

Under the agreement, American and global investors will collectively hold 80.1% of the joint venture, while ByteDance will retain a 19.9% stake. Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX will each own 15% and serve as the venture’s three managing investors.

The White House said in September that the new venture would operate TikTok’s U.S. app. ByteDance has said additional investors include the Dell Family Office, Alpha Wave Partners, Revolution, Merritt Way, Via Nova, Virgo LI, NJJ Capital, and Vastmere Strategic Investments.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said its position on TikTok “has been consistent and clear,” but declined to say whether Beijing has approved the deal.

Despite the agreement, Markey and other lawmakers continue to question whether the arrangement truly insulates TikTok from foreign influence an issue that is likely to keep the platform under intense scrutiny on Capitol Hill.