The news: A US TikTok ban will take effect if a sale isn’t completed by the September 17 deadline, per comments from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

• Lutnick said on CNBC that TikTok could “go dark” if China does not agree to sell to a US owner. He also noted that any deal would require the US gaining control over both the app and its algorithms.
• The Chinese government, however, appears firmly opposed to selling the app’s source code—a point of contention that previously sparked rumors of a US-specific app with a unique algorithm.
• The comments come after Blackstone—one of the key buyers in President Donald Trump’s proposed sale—backed out, reigniting questions about the app’s future.