TikTok is reportedly planning to launch a separate app specifically for users in the United States, featuring an independent algorithm and data infrastructure, distinct from its global version. This development, revealed by unnamed TikTok employees in a Reuters report, could potentially facilitate a future sale of the U.S. operations—an idea supported by former President Donald Trump.
The project, internally referred to as “M2,” is under a tight deadline and must be completed by September. If implemented, it would mark a significant technological separation between TikTok’s U.S. and international divisions.
Such a move could affect the experience of TikTok’s 170 million American users, particularly in terms of accessing global content, and could also impact the income of non-U.S. content creators. The new U.S.-only app is expected to function autonomously, much like Douyin, TikTok’s version in China. Sources also indicated that users outside the U.S. would not be able to download this app from their app stores.
This initiative comes in response to a U.S. law passed in April 2024, which mandates a ban on TikTok by January 19, 2025, unless it is separated from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd. Lawmakers backing the legislation argue that TikTok poses a national security risk due to concerns over data privacy.
Despite this, Trump has repeatedly postponed enforcement of the ban, citing the platform’s role in helping him engage with younger voters during the 2024 presidential race. ByteDance, however, remains under intense political pressure in the U.S. to sell its American operations. Efforts to spin off TikTok into a U.S.-based company were halted after China refused to approve the deal, citing tensions from Trump’s trade policies.
