Archive — US — techcrunch
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joins Frank McCourt’s TikTok bid
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joins Frank McCourt's bid to acquire TikTok as a social media adviser. Ohanian's expertise is expected to help validate and socialize Project Liberty's proposal to allow user data control. Other bidders include Microsoft and Oracle. The previous administration also attempted to ban TikTok, indicating ongoing concerns over data privacy.
Key points
- Alexis Ohanian joins Frank McCourt's bid to acquire TikTok.
- His role is to provide expertise in social media evolution.
- McCourt's Project Liberty aims to let users control their data.
- The People's Bid consortium was formed for the acquisition.
- Previous attempts included proposals from Microsoft and Oracle.
- TikTok faced a temporary ban under Donald Trump's administration.
Why it matters
- The acquisition bid reflects ongoing trends in data privacy and user control as important issues in IT.
- The rise of social media platforms continues to bring regulatory scrutiny.
- Past attempts to restrict TikTok show a shifting political landscape regarding tech giants and foreign ownership.
Ohanian's involvement underlines the significant shift towards user-controlled data in social media ventures, reflecting broader IT trends emerging by 2025.