What Happened?

If TikTok is on your phone, the fight over who controls what shows up in your feed is still being waged in Washington D.C., and both TikTok companies are paying to be heard. TikTok Inc. reported $325,000 from four outside lobbying firms for July through September, down from $375,000 the quarter before and $530,000 a year earlier, according to the firms’ federal filings and a Legis1 review of TikTok’s lobbying disclosures. ​

The bigger money has moved to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the majority American-owned company formed in January to run the app here. It reported $1.21 million in its own lobbying costs for the quarter, up from $740,000 in the spring, and four firms it hired reported another $265,000. Federal rules round these figures to the nearest $10,000, and the amounts may overlap, since a company’s own total can include what it pays outside firms.

TikTok Inc.’s four firms and their focus:

  • Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: $110,000, on trade and export controls, with the Treasury Department and the White House.
  • Crossroads Strategies: $80,000, including how the 2024 law that forced TikTok’s sale is carried out.
  • Dentons US: $75,000, on internet and content platform rules.
  • AND Partners: $60,000, on internet and content platform rules.

Akin Gump is new to the roster this year, while Ballard Partners dropped off after reporting a final $50,000 in the spring. Akin Gump’s only listed lobbyist, Joe Fawkner, once worked for Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV), according to Legis1.

Why Does It Matter To Me?

The venture exists because of a 2024 law that required TikTok to split from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or be banned, a law the Supreme Court upheld unanimously in January 2025. Under a September 2025 executive order from President Trump, Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX each took 15% of the venture, and ByteDance kept 19.9%, The Register reported. The venture says Oracle will store U.S. users’ data in its American cloud, and the algorithm that picks your videos will be retrained on U.S. user data.

Both Sides, Now

ByteDance has said the venture will secure U.S. user data, apps and algorithms. Critics in both parties aren’t convinced. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), who chairs the House committee on China, noted that the algorithm is licensed from ByteDance and asked in a January statement, “Does this deal ensure China does not have influence over the algorithm?” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) said the White House had released “virtually no details” and that Congress should investigate, Reuters reported.

Beijing also has a say. Since August 2020, China has required government approval to export social media algorithms, the Congressional Research Service found, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in October 2025 that the deal had won Chinese approval.

What Happens Next?

Moolenaar said in January that his committee would examine the deal. The next lobbying reports from TikTok, the venture and their firms, covering October through December, are due Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027. They will show whether the venture’s lobbying keeps climbing.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article