TikTok considering a divorce from Chinese owner, ByteDance

TikTok may split from its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, to deal with privacy concerns in the U.S. about the video-sharing app.

A separation could result in the sale of the app, but it is viewed as a fallback plan if U.S. officials do not accept a pending proposal to ameliorate fears that American user data is at risk, according to Bloomberg News.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is reviewing a plan, known as Project Texas, that brings in Oracle Corp. to oversee American user data and appoints an oversight board for the app.

It is unclear, however, if the U.S. government panel will accept the plan, raising the prospect of a divorce between the app and ByteDance.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 23, which could shed light on the company’s plans.

The app is immensely popular with young Americans, who use it to share dances, skits and other short-form content.

However, U.S. policymakers are worried that Beijing has too much access to user data through its Chinese owner.

The app has been banned from devices controlled by the U.S. federal government and many state governments. A number of universities have outlawed the platform.

Sen. Josh Hawley, Missouri Republican, has proposed a nationwide ban on the app.

TikTok has denounced the bans as “politically motivated” and says the restrictions won’t advance the national security of the U.S.