Tiktok owned by Chinese company Bytedance has been at the center of the US debate for four years due to concerns about user data that the Chinese government can potentially access. Earlier this year, the app experienced a suspension in the United States, leaving a suspense before millions of users were quickly restored.
Tiktok returned to the App Store and Google Play Store in February.
Nevertheless, Tiktok’s future is still uncertain and the potential ban on April 5 is approaching. Many investors are competing for the opportunity to buy the app, and as the trading progresses, the platform’s US business can be rated more than $ 60 billion, as estimated by Angelo Zino, chief vice president of CFRA Research.
Tiktok BAN: What has happened so far
To fully understand this polymer drama, we first visited the timeline of the disturbing relationship between the US government and Tiktok, causing various legal battles and negotiations.
The drama first began in August 2020 after Trump signed an administrative order to prohibit deal with his parent company.
A month later, Trump’s administration tried to sell Tiktok’s US operation to a US -based company. Major competitors include Microsoft, Oracle and Walmart. However, the US judge temporarily blocked Trump’s administrative order, allowing Tiktok to continue to operate while the legal battle was developed.
After the transition to the BIDEN administration, the situation began to develop further. The US House of Representatives passed a bill for Tiktok in an overwhelming 360-58 vote. On April 23, 2024, the Senate passed the bill.
Not long after, President Joe Biden signed a bill that demanded or prohibits Tiktok. As a result, Tiktok sued the US government to challenge the Constitution of the Constitution and claim that apps and US users violated their first corrections. The company continued to refuse to cause security threats, claiming that data stored in the United States comply with all local laws.
Trump has a change in mind
On December 27, 2024, Trump opposed the potential ban on Tiktok in the court submission and stated that he could find a way to maintain the app in the United States.
In January, the US Supreme Court generally supported protection Americans from the Foreign University Control Program Act (PAFACA), called the “Tiktok BAN”. Tiktok officially announced on January 19th that it was dark.
Tiktok ends. Then it comes back online
Tiktok actually closed themselves in the United States when the act was fermented, but it did not last long. The app has returned online within 12 hours. The platform pointed out that “Tiktok has returned to the United States as a result of President Trump’s efforts.”
Where are we today
On January 20, Trump signed an administrative order that delayed the Tiktok ban for 75 days. This extension offers an extra time to sell the platform’s stake in the app or sign a contract with Trump. His goal is to achieve a 50-50 ownership contract between BYTEDANCE and US companies.
In early March, Trump told reporters that his executive was talking to four other groups that were interested in purchasing platforms per Reuters.
There is no decisive deal for platform sales yet, but soon it can be seen.
Below is a list of investors and companies with rumors of Tiktok’s potential buyer. (Surprisingly, Elon Musk is not one of them.)
People’s bidding for tiktok
People’s bidding for Tiktok is a consortium hosted by Frank McCourt, the founder of the project Liberty, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gugenheim Securities, an investment company, and Kirkland & Ellis, a legal company, helps to assemble bidding. The main task of bidding for people who want to acquire Tiktok is to prioritize personal information and data control while taking an open source approach.
Related supporters are as follows:
- Alexis Ohanian: The co -founder of Reddit is the most recent technology entrepreneur who participated in the bidding of those who played the role of strategic advisors. He joined on March 3.
- Kevin O’Leary: The well -known investor and television personality told FOX that he was willing to buy Tiktok for $ 20 billion. O’Leary joined people’s bidding on January 6th.
- TIM BERNERS-Lee: Berners-Lee said in a statement: “The invention of the World Wide Web Web is supported by the user’s ability to control its own data.
- David Clarke: Clark, a senior research scientist in MIT computer science and AI laboratory, was also appointed as a participant.
US Investor Consortium
Jesse Tinsley, the CEO and founder of Employer.com, leads the US Investor Consortium. Last month, Tinsley announced a $ 30 billion all-cash proposal to take over Tiktok’s operations.
- David Baszuki: Tinsley told Bloomberg that he was the co -founder of Roblox and the CEO.
- Nathan McCauley: Bloomberg has confirmed that the co -founder of the Crypto platform anchorage digital and the CEO participated in the consortium, Bloomberg reported.
Other stakeholders
- AmazonThe e -commerce giant has been reported to be the most recent company throwing the hat into the ring.
- BOBBY KOTICK: The former CEO of Activision is said to be interested in purchasing Tiktok. His experience of managing his major game companies can be led by the potential to integrate games and social media.
- Steven Mnuchin: Former US Treasury Secretary, who served during his first term, resumed discussions on Tiktok’s potential purchases.
- trust: The company previously bid again in Tiktok in 2020. Larry Ellison, the co -founder of Oracle in front of the White House in January, told Trump that 50%of ownership was “a good deal.” In March, the information reported that Oracle is the best choice to serve as a cloud technology partner that helps Tiktok operates in the United States.
- Wal -Mart: The retail giant can also take into account the effects of the platform on consumer shopping behavior, especially to improve the scope of e -commerce by paying attention to Tiktok. Wal -Mart expressed its interest for the first time in 2020.
- Microsoft: Tech Giant has previously been interested in acquiring Tiktok, and Trump noted that the company has recently resumed bidding to purchase the app.
- boil: YouTube alternatives announced that they would like to acquire Tiktok on X and serve as a cloud technology partner.
- Embarrassed AI: According to CNBC, the AI search engine started bid last month.
This story has been updated to include new stakeholders after publishing.
