Child Safety Must Be Priority in TikTok Negotiations, Parents Group Urges VP Vance

FIRST ON FOX: A coalition of concerned parents is calling on the Trump administration to put the safety of America’s children front and center as the deadline for a potential TikTok buyout approaches.

Alleigh Marré, executive director of the American Parents Coalition, expressed these concerns in a letter sent to Vice President JD Vance. Marré described TikTok as "a breeding ground for harmful content," citing examples such as videos that promote self-harm, eating disorders, and hazardous viral challenges targeting young, impressionable users.

The letter emphasized the urgency of the situation, as TikTok—a platform owned by the Chinese company ByteDance—faces an April 5 deadline to divest its U.S. operations to an American buyer. Marré accused TikTok’s algorithm of deliberately pushing toxic content, including material on gender and sexuality, to minors, as well as fostering suicidal ideation. "TikTok’s algorithm preys on vulnerable minds by feeding a steady stream of toxic content, often without parents realizing it," the letter warned.

Highlighting national security concerns, Marré urged the administration to ensure TikTok has no ties to what she called "our country’s primary adversary." She compared the app’s influence to controlling all children’s television programming combined and stressed the importance of protecting young users from foreign influence.

The backdrop to this plea is the ongoing negotiation process to secure a U.S.-based buyer for TikTok. High-profile individuals and groups, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, investor Kevin O’Leary, and a consortium featuring influencer Jimmy Donaldson (aka "MrBeast") and entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, are reportedly in the running. Oracle, TikTok’s current U.S. tech partner, has also emerged as a strong contender. Additionally, ByteDance may retain a minority stake with investments from U.S. firms like General Atlantic and Susquehanna.

The negotiations are taking place under the shadow of a bipartisan law passed in 2024, which mandates TikTok either divest from ByteDance or face removal from U.S. app stores and hosting services. The Supreme Court recently upheld the law, declining to declare it unconstitutional, and the Trump administration has since granted a 75-day extension for compliance. That delay expires this Saturday.

President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, expressed optimism about TikTok’s future. "There’s tremendous interest in TikTok," he told reporters, adding, "The decision will be my decision. I’d like to see TikTok remain alive."

However, Trump’s push to save TikTok has drawn criticism from within his own party, where some lawmakers have advocated for an outright ban over concerns that the app poses a national security risk. TikTok currently boasts approximately 170 million active American users, underscoring its significant cultural footprint.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and TikTok for comment but has yet to receive a response.