Tiktok is set to receive an offer from billionaire McCourt.
U.S. billionaire Frank McCourt, along with a group of investors, plans to launch a takeover attempt for TikTok's American operations. To make this happen, McCourt has formed a consortium known as "Project Liberty."
McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, aims to make TikTok an "open source" app, meaning that its code would be freely accessible to anyone. This idea is gaining support from individuals such as Tim Berners-Lee, the man behind the creation of the World Wide Web.
Due to a U.S. law, ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, is required to sell the popular app by the end of April 2025 to avoid a nationwide ban. ByteDance, on the other hand, is considering legal action against this law and might even shut down the app instead of selling it. There are concerns that ByteDance and TikTok may be spying for China's government. This suspicion has led to calls for bans in various countries as authorities worry about Beijing having access to users' personal data and manipulating opinions.
"Project Liberty" intends to transform the TikTok software into an "open source" project. Making the code accessible to ordinary people could lead to modifications and improvements in the platform. Examples of other open-source software include Linux operating systems and Firefox internet browsers. The group's goal is to create a better internet where people have control over their data and platforms, and can take back power.
TikTok, which has a user base of 170 million in America, has been criticized for the way it highlights content. This has brought up matters like mental health issues among young people and global conflicts like the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
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Billionaire McCourt's proposed takeover of TikTok's American operations adds another billionaire to the mix, highlighting the prominent role of wealthy individuals in tech acquisitions in the USA.
Given the support for an "open source" TikTok from individuals like Tim Berners-Lee, the possibility of USA-based billionaires playing a significant role in shaping the app's future is intriguing, potentially leading to a decentralized and user-controlled version of TikTok.
Source: www.ntv.de
