Earlier quoted context omitted.
The US gov's intention was not at all to shut down TikTok. It was to force ByteDance to sell it. The fact that ByteDance is opting for a shutdown instead is a huge PR stunt, and their unwillingness to sell under the circumstances kinda proves their whole First Amendment claims are made in bad faith. Something deeper is going on, and it's not about your social security number.
I mean, the Chinese government was never going to let the US just take their company at bargain basement prices.
Do you think that there is a price at which they would be willing to sell it?