TikTok Patent Challenges Paused to Probe China Ruling Party Ties

The US Patent and Trademark Office paused TikTok Inc.'s challenges to seven Bluetooth technology patents over concerns about the social media giant’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart initiated a review Thursday of a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision that rejected patent owner Cellspin Soft Inc.'s request to terminate TikTok’s challenges. The board’s Monday decision held that TikTok’s failure to name the CCP as a real party-in-interest didn’t warrant termination of its challenges.

Stewart ordered the review “in view of the novel issues” raised by the case, according to the Thursday order.

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