Here’s what you NEED TO KNOW:

Recent developments about the TikTok app for U.S. users:

  • There is a federal law in place banning TikTok’s use in the U.S. for security reasons, unless the Chinese owner, ByteDance, divests its majority interests in the app if used in America.

  • As of Sept. 16, 2025, the effective date of that law going live, has now been extended four times since January 2025…delaying a ban on the use of Chinese-owned TikTok in the U.S.

  • It has been reported that a U.S. tech company, Oracle, will oversee security in the U.S.

  • Following a deal, the majority ownership is expected to be American, with less than 20 percent being Chinese ownership for TikTok’s U.S. operations. (Sources say U.S. ownership does not include the President.)

What does this mean to Illinois REALTORS®?

  • If members use the TikTok app, they will likely be able to continue doing so.

  • The algorithm that curates the user’s experience is expected to remain largely the same as under current ownership, according to multiple sources

  • If users are worried about losing their content on the TikTok app, they should consider operating on more than one video platform to be safe.