How Politics, Power, and Profit Drive the World’s Most Contested Social Media Takeover

Buying TikTok isn’t just about owning a successful social media platform—it’s about controlling one of the most influential gateways to culture, politics, and digital commerce. Below is an overview of why purchasing TikTok matters so much and what drives various players (political figures, corporations, or high-profile individuals) to consider acquiring it.

1. Political and Geopolitical Significance

Data Privacy & National Security

• Concerns over foreign ownership: TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese-based company. This has spurred fears (especially in the U.S.) that user data might be accessible to the Chinese government
• Regulatory Pressure: There have been calls from lawmakers to ban or force a sale of TikTok to a U.S. entity to ensure American user data isn’t compromised.
• Tool of Influence: Social media platforms can shape public opinion and even influence elections. Owning TikTok means controlling a massive channel for political messaging, activism, and viral content.

National Economic Interests

• Bringing Value to Domestic Markets: If an American or Western company buys TikTok, it can keep data (and the platform’s economic benefits) within local jurisdictions, generating tax revenue and job growth.
• Tech Competition: Owning TikTok means having a global edge in social media. It’s become a strategic asset akin to controlling a major broadcast network.

Strategic Leverage

• Negotiations Between Governments: A forced sale or a structured deal can become a bargaining chip in trade talks between countries (e.g., the U.S. and China).
• Diplomatic Signaling: Showing a willingness to purchase TikTok can be a move that signals a stance on free speech, data sovereignty, or competitiveness in emerging tech sectors.

2. Personal Usage & Cultural Influence

Massive Global Audience

• Reach & Engagement: TikTok has well over a billion monthly users, with particularly strong engagement among Gen Z and Millennials. A buyer gains direct access to one of the internet’s most active audiences.
• Cultural Capital: TikTok often drives music, dance, fashion, and comedy trends. Controlling it means having a say in the global pop culture conversation.

Creator Economy & Monetization

• Revenue Opportunities: TikTok’s ad platform, influencer marketing, and emerging shopping features present huge opportunities for monetization.
• Leveraging Creators: Influencers and creators rely on TikTok for brand deals and fan engagement. Owning the platform can position a buyer to reshape profit-sharing models and “creator funds.”

Personal Brand or Business Synergy

• Expansion of Influence: For entrepreneurs or companies with existing audiences (e.g., YouTubers, big tech, or media moguls), buying TikTok supercharges their reach and merges user bases.
• Cross-Promotion: Acquiring TikTok can funnel users to a buyer’s other products—like retail, cloud services, or streaming platforms—and vice versa.

3. The Digital Shift: Why TikTok Stands Out

Short-Form Video Revolution

• Attention Economy: TikTok’s short-form content aligns with today’s highly distracted, mobile-first audiences. It’s addictive, easy to consume, and fosters rapid viral growth.
• Algorithmic Excellence: TikTok’s recommendation engine is famed for its ability to surface highly personalized, engaging content—this technology is extremely valuable in an era of personalized feeds.

Battle for the Next Generation of Users

• Younger Demographics: TikTok isn’t just a minor niche platform; it’s where many teens and 20-somethings spend hours daily. Owning it locks in the “next wave” of internet consumers.
• Shaping Consumer Habits: By influencing trends, buyers can shape how users shop, watch, and even socialize online.

Tech Ecosystem Integration

• Data and AI Development: Owning a platform of TikTok’s scale offers immense amounts of data to train AI or feed recommendation engines.
• Synergies with Cloud and Advertising: Companies that buy TikTok can host its data on their cloud (a big new client) or use TikTok’s user data to refine targeted advertising, fueling growth in other sectors.

4. What Triggers People to Say “Okay, I Will Buy It”

Forced Sale or Political Pressure

• If governments threaten to ban TikTok unless it’s sold, opportunistic buyers see a chance to step in.
• High-profile names may seize the moment to align with national security narratives (“We’ll keep data safe”), positioning themselves as problem-solvers.

Strategic Expansion

• Companies seeking quick scale in social media or wanting a new audience jump at the opportunity to buy a market leader rather than build a rival from scratch.
• Investors or individuals with capital might see a long-term payoff, given TikTok’s cultural clout and revenue potential.

Brand Power & Publicity

• For entrepreneurs and celebrities, publicly expressing interest in TikTok garners attention. Even if it’s partly a stunt, it elevates their name and can open doors to future partnerships or ventures.
• Owning TikTok can transform someone into a major media figure overnight, shifting their public persona to that of a media mogul.

Platform Control & Influence

• Controlling content moderation and policy is a powerful lever—whether for free-speech advocates or those looking to shape discourse.
• Buyers might aim to change TikTok’s rules to align with personal philosophies (e.g., fostering certain types of content or restricting others).

5. Political “Idea Behind It” vs. Digital Strategy

Political Perspective:

• A sale to a U.S. buyer could alleviate national security concerns, keep user data onshore, and secure the platform under domestic laws.
• Politicians also see TikTok as a potent campaign tool—owning it, or having it in friendly hands, might help control misinformation or election-related content.

Digital Shift / Tech Perspective:

• Short-form video and AI-driven feeds are the future of online media consumption. Buying TikTok cements a buyer’s place at the forefront of that shift.
• The platform’s data trove is a goldmine for personalization tech, e-commerce tie-ins, and new AI features.
• Integrating TikTok with existing digital services can expand a conglomerate’s ecosystem, from advertising networks to cloud infrastructure.

Buying TikTok is about more than just inheriting a popular app—it’s about seizing a controlling stake in the cultural zeitgeist, political debate, and next-generation digital economy. Whether motivated by strategic expansion, national security concerns, or personal brand ambitions, buyers see TikTok as a unique, high-potential asset at the intersection of tech innovation, social influence, and global politics.

Potential TikTok Buyers: Confirmed Interests vs. Rumors

Individual Investors & Entrepreneurs

• Kevin O’Leary (Investor, Shark Tank personality)

  – Confirmed interest. In March 2023, O’Leary said he wanted to assemble a syndicate of investors to buy TikTok for about $20–30 billion (a fraction of ByteDance’s ~$220 billion valuation). He called TikTok “the largest entertainment and business network in America,” underscoring its huge value. O’Leary acknowledged any forced sale might exclude TikTok’s core recommendation algorithm, so a new owner would need to replicate the algorithm domestically. He envisioned acting as a “steward” to transform TikTok from a China-run platform into “TikTok U.S.A.” (O’Leary has since joined Frank McCourt’s bid, below, to pursue a joint acquisition.) (businessinsider.com, 2025).

• Frank McCourt (Former LA Dodgers owner, Investor)

  – Confirmed interest. McCourt has made “The People’s Bid” to acquire TikTok as a way to reshape the platform with user data privacy at the forefront. In late 2023, he announced he’d lined up over $20 billion for a potential deal. McCourt’s stated goal is to migrate TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users to an open-source protocol where individuals own and control their identities and data. “We’re not looking to replicate the existing version,” he said, emphasizing plans to rebuild TikTok in a way that respects user privacy instead of exploiting it. McCourt’s bid, driven by his Project Liberty initiative, is backed by Guggenheim Partners and law firm Kirkland & Ellis. Status: Confirmed proposal (ByteDance, however, has signaled no intent to sell so far) (businessinsider.com, 2025).

• MrBeast – Jimmy Donaldson (YouTuber and Entrepreneur)

  – Publicly expressed interest (semi-serious). In early 2025, MrBeast – one of the world’s biggest YouTubers – jokingly tweeted “Okay fine, I’ll buy TikTok so it doesn’t get banned.” He followed up that unconfirmed offer by noting “unironically I’ve had so many billionaires reach out… let’s see if we can pull this off,” suggesting he was exploring a bid. Donaldson even posted a TikTok video claiming he’d met with “a bunch of billionaires” and that “we have an offer ready… let me buy the platform”, framing his interest as a move to keep TikTok alive in America. It’s unclear how serious or feasible MrBeast’s effort is (he did not disclose partners or funding), so his interest remains speculative but very public (businessinsider.com, 2025).

• Bobby Kotick (Former Activision Blizzard CEO)

  – Rumored interest. In 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported Kotick was considering a bid for TikTok. The exact size of his proposal wasn’t public (WSJ implied it’d have to be in the hundreds of billions given TikTok’s value). Kotick reportedly floated the idea at a high-profile conference, even approaching OpenAI’s Sam Altman and other investors about a partnership. His concept was that owning TikTok could benefit AI development – for example, allowing OpenAI to train its models on TikTok’s vast trove of video data. Kotick himself hasn’t publicly confirmed these talks; a spokesperson only noted that he prefers broad trade frameworks over “singling out an individual company”. Status: Speculative (reported by WSJ; no direct confirmation from Kotick) (businessinsider.com, 2025).

• Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX CEO, X owner)

  – Rumored interest (denied by Musk). Musk’s name surfaced largely due to parallels with his Twitter acquisition and even a suggestion by Donald Trump. In late 2024, President Trump mused that he’d support Elon Musk buying TikTok, saying “I would be [open], if he wanted to buy it”. However, Musk himself never expressed interest in acquiring TikTok and has explicitly shot down the idea. He posted that he’s “been against a TikTok ban for a long time” on free-speech grounds, but also stated he doesn’t plan to buy it. In short, any Musk connection is purely speculative, fueled by outside rumors; Musk has indicated no genuine interest in running TikTok (businessinsider.com, 2025; timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 2025).

Companies & Corporate Bidders

• Oracle (Larry Ellison, cofounder)

  – Confirmed past interest, possible renewed interest. Oracle emerged in 2020 as an eager bidder for TikTok’s U.S. operations, aligning with the Trump administration’s push for a sale. Oracle’s interest was driven in part by its desire to break into consumer tech and cloud data services – acquiring TikTok would have given it a massive cloud customer and leveled the playing field against Amazon and Microsoft in cloud hosting. Oracle (with Ellison’s backing) ultimately won tentative approval in 2020 to become TikTok’s “trusted technology partner,” alongside a minority stake for Walmart, before court rulings halted that deal. In January 2025, Trump again floated Ellison as a potential buyer, to which Ellison replied, “Sounds like a good deal to me”. While Oracle currently hosts TikTok’s U.S. data on its cloud (and thus has a stake in TikTok’s fate), it hasn’t publicly confirmed a new bid in 2023–2025. Status: Confirmed historical interest; any current interest is presumed but not officially stated (Ellison has signaled openness) (businessinsider.com, 2025).

• Microsoft

  – Confirmed past interest. The software giant was the first major suitor in 2020, entering negotiations to buy TikTok’s U.S. (and possibly other) operations when a forced divestiture loomed. Microsoft envisioned integrating TikTok to boost its consumer internet presence, online advertising reach, and even Bing search/AI with TikTok data. CEO Satya Nadella later confirmed Microsoft’s interest, noting the company was “all in” on a deal before it fell through. Microsoft’s bid had backing from ByteDance’s CEO at the time, but ultimately ByteDance rejected Microsoft’s offer in favor of Oracle’s proposal (businessinsider.com 2020/1). The 2020 attempt was motivated by Microsoft’s aim to expand in social media and online ads, and to ensure a U.S. company controlled TikTok’s data. Since that failed bid, Microsoft has not publicly revisited buying TikTok, though it could re-emerge if TikTok were up for for sale. Status: Confirmed (2020 bid acknowledged), no current public bids (speculative future interest if divestment is forced) (reuters.com, 2020/1).

• Walmart

  – Confirmed past interest. The retail giant stunned observers by joining Microsoft’s 2020 bid for TikTok and later aligning with Oracle – highlighting TikTok’s appeal beyond tech firms. Walmart was interested in TikTok as a major e-commerce and advertising opportunity. The company explicitly said TikTok’s integration of e-commerce and ads is “a clear benefit to creators and users” and could help Walmart reach younger shoppers and boost its third-party marketplace. In 2020, Walmart even wanted to be lead owner of TikTok’s U.S. business (in one scenario teaming with investors like SoftBank and Alphabet), but U.S. officials pushed for a tech partner in the lead. Ultimately, Walmart agreed to a smaller stake (7.5%) in the shelved Oracle-TikTok deal and to provide e-commerce integration. Walmart hasn’t announced any new TikTok bids since, but its 2020 pursuit was confirmed and driven by a clear retail strategy. Status: Confirmed historical interest (via official statements), no current public offer (speculative if conditions change) (siliconrepublic.com, 2020).

• X aka Twitter

  – Rumored interest (2019–2020). During the 2020 scramble, Twitter Inc. approached ByteDance to explore acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, as reported by Reuters and WSJ. Twitter’s interest was never publicly announced by the company, but sources said the company held preliminary talks with TikTok’s owners. The rationale was that Twitter (much smaller than Microsoft) might face less antitrust scrutiny and, unlike Facebook/Google, had no presence in China – meaning fewer geopolitical issues. Twitter even had support from Silver Lake (a major Twitter investor) to help fund a potential deal. However, doubts were raised about Twitter’s ability to finance such a large acquisition (Twitter’s market cap was roughly equal to TikTok’s value). No formal bid emerged, and Twitter’s interest didn’t progress once Oracle/Walmart took the lead. Status: Speculative/rumored (talks reported by reliable sources, but Twitter never confirmed publicly) (reuters.com, 2020/1).

• Triller (social video app) & Centricus (investment firm)

  – Confirmed interest (claimed by Triller, but unverified by TikTok). In August 2020, Triller – a smaller rival to TikTok – announced it had partnered with UK-based Centricus to bid $20 billion for TikTok’s assets in the U.S., plus Australia, New Zealand, and India. Triller’s executive chairman said the offer was submitted to ByteDance’s chairman and even claimed the White House looked favorably on it. The plan touted by Triller was to have TikTok’s user base and content migrate onto Triller’s platform (“just give us their user data and content, and the Triller platform can handle it”), with Triller’s executives running TikTok going forward. However, ByteDance publicly denied receiving any offer from Triller/Centricus and suggested this might have been a publicity stunt. The bid did not advance. Status: Claimed interest (Triller publicly announced it), but widely regarded as speculative since ByteDance did not acknowledge the bid (reuters.com, 2020/2).

• SoftBank

  – Rumored involvement. While SoftBank (the Japanese tech investment conglomerate) did not outright bid for TikTok alone, it was involved in talks to facilitate a deal in 2020. SoftBank’s COO Marcelo Claure reportedly tried to assemble a consortium where Walmart would lead the purchase and SoftBank and Alphabet (Google’s parent) would take minority stakes. This plan aimed to satisfy U.S. regulators by having an American company out front. Ultimately, the U.S. government nixed that approach, preferring a big tech firm as lead (hence Microsoft, then Oracle) (siliconrepublic.com 2020). SoftBank’s motivation was likely to leverage its expertise in tech investments and potentially get a piece of TikTok’s growth. There have been no public statements from SoftBank about buying TikTok since. Status: Speculative (behind-the-scenes interest reported, but no direct public bid).

• Alphabet/Google

  – Rumored interest (as partner, not acquirer). Google’s parent company, Alphabet, was linked to TikTok talks in 2020 mainly as part of the SoftBank-Walmart consortium. Alphabet considered joining as a minority investor and was reportedly more interested in TikTok as a cloud customer than as an owner. In fact, Google Cloud stood to benefit if TikTok shifted hosting. Alphabet never intended to lead a TikTok acquisition – and likely couldn’t without severe antitrust issues, given it already owns YouTube (siliconrepublic.com, 2020). Indeed, when rumors arose, Alphabet quickly faced questions about regulators blocking any TikTok deal. In the end, Alphabet stayed on the sidelines (and reportedly Netflix was approached instead). Status: Speculative/indirect interest (no official bid; participation was explored but not pursued due to regulatory and strategic hurdles).

• Apple

  – Rumored interest (denied by Apple). In August 2020, a brief swirl of rumors suggested Apple had “expressed interest” in TikTok. This talk was quickly debunked – Apple publicly denied any discussions, stating it had “no interest” in acquiring TikTok. Apple’s focus on tightly controlled hardware/software and its delicate relationship with China’s supply chain made a TikTok deal unlikely. Analysts noted Apple had little obvious strategic need for TikTok (as Apple doesn’t rely on advertising-driven social media in the way other bidders might). The rumor seemed to stem from speculation rather than any real move by Apple. Status: Purely speculative rumor (Apple firmly denied it) (businessinsider.com, 2020/2).

• Netflix

  – Declined interest. Netflix’s name surfaced during the 2020 saga when ByteDance reportedly approached the streaming giant to gauge interest in a TikTok deal. However, Netflix turned down the opportunity. Owning a social media platform didn’t align with Netflix’s core business (subscription streaming), and Netflix likely saw more risk than reward in stepping into a politically fraught acquisition. The outreach to Netflix indicated ByteDance was exploring all options, but Netflix never pursued it. Status: No interest – approached by TikTok’s owner, but Netflix declined to bid (siliconrepublic, 2020).

• Other ByteDance Investors

  – Behind-the-scenes support. TikTok’s fate has also attracted interest from ByteDance’s existing investors (like Sequoia Capital and General Atlantic in 2020) who sought to participate in any ownership shuffle. In the Trump-era negotiations, ByteDance’s U.S. investors were part of proposals – for example, they aligned with Oracle’s bid to retain a stake (businessinsider.com 2020/1). While not independent bidders, these investors have a vested interest in any sale or spinoff. Their goal has been to protect their investment in ByteDance/TikTok, possibly by helping transfer some ownership to a U.S. entity. Status: Confirmed involvement in 2020 deal-making (as minority stakeholders), but not publicly front-running any bid.

Each of the above parties has been linked to a potential TikTok takeover, with varying degrees of confirmation. In summary: Some, like O’Leary, McCourt, and Mnuchin, have openly declared their intent to buy and transform TikTok (privacy, security, or business expansion being their driving reasons). Others – Microsoft, Oracle, Walmart – confirmed serious interest in the past (seeking strategic growth in social media, e-commerce, or cloud services). And a slew of names have floated in the rumor mill (from Musk and Kotick to Triller and Twitter), often with strategic rationales but no official bids. It remains to be seen if any will materialize into an actual acquisition, especially given ByteDance’s resistance and the Chinese government’s likely opposition to selling TikTok’s prized algorithm.

Sources:

Public statements, news reports, and court documents as cited above, including Business Insider, Reuters, CNBC, AP News, and others that have tracked TikTok’s prospective suitors, and specifically: businessinsider.com 2025; timesofindia.indiatimes.com 2025; businessinsider.com 2020/1; reuters.com 2020/1; siliconrepublic.com 2020; reuters.com 2020/2; businessinsider.com 2020/2.