2024 – PAFACA Act forces divestiture – Congress passes the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications (PAFACA) Act, mandating that ByteDance sell at least 80 % of TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban. The law creates the legal deadline that drives all subsequent negotiations. [9]

Sept 2025 – U.S.–China framework reached – Washington and Beijing agree on a September framework that outlines a path for U.S. control of TikTok while preserving cross‑border commerce, clearing a major diplomatic hurdle after years of tension. [11]

Sept 2025 – Executive order keeps TikTok online – The administration issues a September executive order authorizing TikTok to continue operating in the United States while the ownership deal is finalized, preventing an abrupt service shutdown. [10]

Dec 18, 2025 – Binding agreements signed – TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew signs binding agreements with Oracle, private‑equity firm Silver Lake and Abu‑Dhabi‑based MGX to create a new U.S. joint venture; the investors will own 50 % of the entity, ByteDance retains 19.9 %, and the remaining 30.1 % stays with existing ByteDance backers. All U.S. user data will be stored on Oracle‑managed servers. [9][12]

Dec 19, 2025 – Deal details and political pushback – The agreement licenses TikTok’s recommendation algorithm to the U.S. venture and requires it to be retrained exclusively on American data, with the code housed in Oracle’s U.S. cloud. A seven‑member board, majority American, will govern the venture. Senators Ron Wyden and Ed Markey publicly demand congressional scrutiny, warning that the investor mix—including ties to former President Trump—may not safeguard privacy. Analysts such as Matt Navarra caution that the U.S.‑only data feed could blunt TikTok’s cultural edge. [3][4][1]

Jan 22, 2026 – Joint venture takes control – The TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC officially assumes control of TikTok’s U.S. operations; Adam Presser becomes CEO and Will Farrell serves as chief security officer. Ownership stands at 50 % investors (Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX each 15 %), 19.9 % ByteDance, and ~30 % affiliates of existing ByteDance investors. The venture pledges “majority‑American” safeguards covering data protection, algorithm security, content moderation and software assurances. [5][15]

Jan 23, 2026 (morning) – Joint‑venture structure announced – TikTok publicly announces the formation of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, a U.S.–owned entity governed by a seven‑member board that includes Shou Zi Chew and Adam Presser. Oracle receives a license to host and retrain the recommendation engine, moving all U.S. user data to Oracle’s secure cloud. [1][2]

Jan 23, 2026 (mid‑day) – Updated Terms of Service go live – Effective Jan 22, the new Terms of Service require users to accept limits on generative‑AI features, enforce an “Under 13 Experience” for children, and grant TikTok a worldwide, royalty‑free license to use uploaded content for platform improvement. Users now contract directly with TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC rather than the global TikTok entity. [1][7]

Jan 23, 2026 (afternoon) – Political endorsements – Former President Donald Trump posts on Truth Social, “I’m so happy to have helped in saving TikTok,” and later thanks Chinese President Xi Jinping for approving the deal, framing the transaction as a bipartisan victory. [2][5]

Jan 23, 2026 (evening) – Expert outlook on user experience – Analysts Jasmine Enberg, Matt Navarra and Dr. Kokil Jaidka explain that algorithm retraining will likely produce only gradual, subtle shifts in personalization, while core features such as short videos and livestream shopping remain unchanged; they warn that some users may notice reduced reach or more repetitive content during the transition. [1]

These events trace the legal pressure, diplomatic negotiations, investor commitments, and final operational handover that secure TikTok’s continued presence for roughly 200 million American users while addressing U.S. national‑security concerns.