'We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of U.S. TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of U.S. government regulators,' the retail giant tells CNBC.
Mayer, citing pressure from the White House to ban the social network over its ties to China, is also stepping down as COO of parent company ByteDance.
The move away from these informal guidelines could have big implications for both small-business owners and freelancers -- and may signal the need for both groups to make strategic adjustments.
The ban 'may not be enforced against foreign nationals who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.'