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Crypto Reporter
Shalini Nagarajan
Crypto Reporter
Shalini Nagarajan
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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has joined a bid to acquire TikTok’s US operations, backing an effort to decentralize the platform and give users greater control over their data.
The move, announced late Tuesday, aligns with Ohanian’s longstanding advocacy for Web3 technology and creator empowerment in digital spaces.
Ohanian confirmed he is joining billionaire Frank McCourt’s bid to acquire TikTok US, stating his intention to transition the platform on-chain.
The plan would move TikTok away from traditional centralized data control. Instead, it would run on a blockchain-based infrastructure. Users, not corporations, would dictate how their data is used.
“TikTok has been a game-changer for creators, and its future should be built by them,” Ohanian wrote in an X post.
TikTok US Buyout Plan Focuses on User Ownership and Decentralization
Reuters reported this week that McCourt described his initiative as “The People’s Bid.” He said the platform should prioritize users’ interests. It should not serve as a data goldmine for tech giants and governments.
By integrating blockchain-based self-sovereign identity and decentralized storage, TikTok would adopt a new model. This approach would allow users to own their digital presence. They would have control over their audience, content and data.
Ohanian’s role in the acquisition effort will center on validating and promoting the vision of a Web3-powered TikTok. McCourt highlighted his deep experience in social media as an asset, saying: “He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving.”
“Where he can help mostly is validating but also socializing what we’re doing,” said McCourt. “On the one hand, this is a project which has very sophisticated technology at the core. And so you’re dealing with a very specific audience when it comes to demonstrating the validity of that technology and in how it works, and why it’s necessary.”
Ohanian Champions a Decentralized TikTok Where Users Control Their Data
Ohanian has long advocated for a more equitable digital landscape. He believes users should control their data, and creators should own their audiences.
In his X post, he suggested that blockchain could reinvent social platforms. It would shift them away from corporate-driven algorithms. Instead, platforms would operate on a model built on transparency and accountability.
“Users should own their data. Creators should own their audience,” he wrote.
“Frequency will empower these principles to become reality. And with transparency and accountability at the core, this new TikTok won’t just be fairer—it’ll be GREATER,” he said.
While TikTok’s future in the US remains uncertain due to ongoing regulatory scrutiny and national security concerns, McCourt and Ohanian’s bid signals a radical new direction for the platform—one that could redefine social media ownership in the Web3 era.
