TikTok's algorithm - the technology that determines what users see in their feed - will be copied and retrained using U.S. user data as part of a deal to secure the app's future in the country.
A White House official said on Monday that TikTok's recommendation system will be audited by tech giant Oracle, and operated by a new joint venture involving U.S. investors in order to meet requirements for the app's sale.
It comes after President Donald Trump said a deal to prevent the app's ban in the U.S., unless sold by its Chinese parent company ByteDance, had been reached with China's approval.
White House officials claim the deal will be a win for the app's U.S. users and citizens.
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order later this week on the proposed deal, which will set out how it will comply with U.S. national security demands.
The order will also outline a 120-day pause to the enforcement deadline to allow the deal to close.
It is unclear whether the Chinese government has approved this agreement, or begun to take regulatory steps required to deliver it. However, the White House appears confident it has secured China's approval.
Data belonging to the 170m users TikTok says it has in the U.S. is already held on Oracle servers, under an existing arrangement called Project Texas.
A senior White House official stated that under President Trump's deal, the company would take on a comprehensive role in securing the entirety of the app for American users.
They said this would include auditing and inspecting the source code and recommendation system underpinning the app, and rebuilding it for U.S. users using only U.S. user data.
Patriotic investors
Oracle, which provides cloud computing infrastructure for a growing number of companies including ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, has been long rumoured to play a role in President Trump's deal.
Earlier this year, President Trump said he would like to see Oracle's Larry Ellison buy TikTok.
The new joint venture controlling the app looks to recruit patriotic investors and cybersecurity experts to oversee its operations.
However, analysts warn that changes to the way TikTok works could risk alienating U.S. users, potentially lowering its value for creators and brands.
