TikTok US operations continue to use ByteDance technology

Nearly a year after the TikTok USDS Joint Venture was established in January 2026 following a congressional mandate, reports indicate the American entity still relies heavily on technology developed by its former Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

Investigations reveal that U.S. employees continue to use Lark, an internal messaging platform built by ByteDance, and an artificial intelligence assistant named Aime, which also originates from the Chinese company. This ongoing reliance persists despite a 2024 mandate requiring divestiture to address national security concerns regarding American user data and potential influence from the Chinese Communist Party.

While TikTok states its American entity now controls content policy enforcement and uses Oracle’s American cloud infrastructure to retrain its recommendation algorithm, internal communications emphasize a desire to remain aligned with global standards. Physical workplace restrictions have also been implemented, such as requiring U.S. employees to be escorted when visiting global offices on different floors and prohibiting laptops in those areas.