ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US if legal options fail, sources say

ByteDance uses every legal avenue to oppose legislation that would remove the platform from US app stores and would possibly shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it. — REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

HONG KONG: TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the US, four sources said.

The algorithms TikTok relies on for its operations are deemed core to ByteDance's overall operations, which would make a sale of the app with algorithms highly unlikely, said the sources close to the parent.