Kevin O’Leary and Frank McCourt’s Bid for TikTok

Billionaires Kevin O’Leary, known from Shark Tank, and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have joined forces to bid for TikTok’s U.S. operations amid growing concerns over its Chinese ownership. The group, dubbed The People’s Bid for TikTok, has submitted a formal proposal to ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to purchase the platform ahead of a looming ban set to take effect on January 19 if the app isn’t sold.

The bid proposes rebuilding TikTok on American-designed technology without its proprietary algorithm, ensuring privacy and continuity for the app’s 170 million U.S. users. Despite the bold offer, ByteDance has maintained its stance that TikTok is not for sale. Backed by technologists like web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and Guggenheim Securities, the proposal raises questions about TikTok’s future success without its unique algorithm. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear related arguments, this high-stakes bid could reshape the social media landscape in the U.S.