Just days before a U.S. ban on TikTok, Frank McCourt’s nonprofit Project Liberty proposed to purchase the platform from ByteDance, aiming to transform it into an American-owned entity that prioritizes user safety. Dubbed “The People’s Bid for TikTok,” the initiative seeks to reimagine the app on a tech stack designed in the U.S. This approach, according to McCourt, would allow the platform to continue operating without relying on the existing TikTok algorithm, thus avoiding a ban and maintaining access for millions of users.
While the financial details of the proposal remain undisclosed, ByteDance has acknowledged its receipt. The case surrounding the potential ban, signed by President Biden, is set for oral arguments in the Supreme Court, with previous rulings supporting the law due to national security concerns. TikTok has contested the ban, stating it could lead to significant financial losses for small U.S. businesses and content creators. The initiative aims to shift TikTok to an open-source platform, enhancing user data control in line with Project Liberty’s goal of a more user-empowered internet, with backing from notable figures like investor Kevin O’Leary and World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee.
