Silicon Valley’s bet on AI defence startups and what it means for the future of war – podcast 
Cleveland Fed President Warns of Ongoing Inflation Challenge 
Deepfakes of children: how the government can get to grips with them 
Magnificent 7 Stocks Outperform S&P 500 with Nvidia and Tesla Leading 
‘AI agents’ promise to arrange your finances, do your taxes, book your holidays – and put us all at risk 
The Silicon Valley venture capitalists who want to ‘move fast and break things’ in the defence industry 
Trump Signals Likely TikTok Reprieve Amid App's Uncertain Future 
FTC Refers Complaint Against Snap Inc. to DOJ Over Alleged Harmful AI Chatbot 
TSMC Reports Strong Q4 Profit Amid AI-Driven Chip Demand 
Trump's Inauguration Ushers in a Transformative Era for Cryptocurrency 
Bezos’ Blue Origin has successfully launched its New Glenn rocket to orbit − a feat 15 years in the making 
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to Attend Trump’s Inauguration 
FBI Warns of Massive AT&T Breach Impacting Agents' Data 
Meta’s shift to ‘community notes’ risks hurting online health info providers more than ever 
Say it with a picture: overcoming legalese in public procurement contracts 
BlackRock Settles ESG Disclosure Dispute with Tennessee Attorney General 
Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), the cloud provider for TikTok's U.S. operations, has reportedly instructed staff to prepare for shutting down servers hosting TikTok's U.S. data. According to The Information, the shutdown could occur as early as 9 p.m. ET on Saturday (0200 GMT Sunday) in anticipation of a U.S. law banning the app starting Sunday.
The move comes amid escalating scrutiny over TikTok’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, with concerns about potential risks to national security. Lawmakers have pushed for strict measures to prevent user data from being accessed by foreign entities, leading to efforts to prohibit the app entirely in the United States.
Oracle has played a pivotal role in ensuring TikTok's compliance with U.S. regulations by hosting American user data on its cloud infrastructure. However, a ban would force the company to sever its involvement, halting operations that safeguard this data. This marks a significant turn in TikTok’s tumultuous journey in the U.S. market.
The proposed ban follows years of debate over whether TikTok poses a security threat due to its data practices and ownership. With over 150 million U.S. users, TikTok has repeatedly denied allegations of improper data sharing, stating that Oracle’s partnership has fortified its data protection efforts.
Despite these assurances, political and regulatory pressures remain unrelenting. The potential shutdown underscores the growing tension between global tech companies and governments grappling with issues of privacy, security, and foreign influence.
This development raises questions about the future of TikTok in the U.S. and Oracle’s role in navigating the challenges of hosting data for companies under intense government scrutiny. Both companies face uncertain times as the deadline looms.
