Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has joined billionaire Frank McCourt’s effort to acquire TikTok, taking on the role of strategic adviser. McCourt’s internet advocacy organization, Project Liberty, announced Ohanian’s involvement in a group called “The People’s Bid for TikTok.”
In a series of posts on X, Ohanian, who is married to tennis star Serena Williams, shared his excitement about the bid, stating, “I’m officially now one of the people trying to buy TikTok US — and bring it on-chain,” referring to a decentralized blockchain-based platform that Project Liberty plans to use to give users more control over their online data.
If successful, the group said the new technology would become the foundation of a revamped TikTok, with a strong focus on privacy, security, and digital independence. When asked by an X user what he would call TikTok if he took ownership, Ohanian responded, “TikTok: Freedom Edition.”
A federal law passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by former President Joe Biden last year mandated that TikTok sever its connections with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, by January 19 or face a potential ban.
In one of his first executive orders signed in January, President Donald Trump extended the deadline for TikTok to find new ownership until early April.
McCourt’s group, which includes “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary, has already made an offer of $20 billion in cash to ByteDance for TikTok’s U.S. operations. Some analysts suggest TikTok’s value could be much higher, even without its highly sought-after algorithm, which McCourt has stated he’s not interested in.
Trump mentioned that Microsoft is among the U.S. companies seeking control of TikTok. Other potential buyers include the AI startup Perplexity AI, which has proposed merging with TikTok’s U.S. platform and offering the U.S. government a stake in the new company. Additionally, Jesse Tinsley, founder of payroll firm Employer.com, has formed a consortium, including the CEO of video game platform Roblox, and has put forward an offer of over $30 billion for TikTok.
