""We do not want TikTok to 'go dark,'" he declared - positioning the move as a part of broader trade negotiations with China and a patriotic effort to "SAVE TIKTOK." But while creators and marketers may breathe a temporary sigh of relief, this is not a story about social media. Not really. This is a story about power - who controls the feed, who monetizes the user, and who ultimately shapes the infrastructure of the digital economy."
"As The Drum explored this week, Amazon's rumored interest in acquiring TikTok has little to do with social virality and everything to do with owning the next wave of retail infrastructure. TikTok Shop has already transformed the way people buy, seamlessly integrating entertainment and e-commerce into a single stream. For Amazon, it's not about getting more likes; it's about eliminating friction, owning discovery, and embedding purchase paths directly into content. In short, it's about defending its crown in total retail domination."
Donald Trump signed an executive order giving TikTok 75 days to resolve its future in the US market, stating "We do not want TikTok to 'go dark'" and framing the effort as part of trade negotiations with China and a patriotic effort to "SAVE TIKTOK." The conflict centers on power: who controls feeds, who monetizes users, and who shapes digital infrastructure. TikTok has evolved into a full-stack commerce engine with TikTok Shop integrating entertainment and e-commerce into a single stream. Amazon's interest targets retail infrastructure to eliminate friction, own discovery, and embed purchase paths. Political concerns focus on national security and data control while commercial concerns emphasize platform convergence, leaving creators in limbo and prompting some to prepare to leave or pivot toward Chinese-native networks and audiences.
Read at The Drum
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