TikTok faces a crucial 75-day reprieve that ends on April 5, during which it must divest from its Chinese owners or face a ban in the U.S. Significant contenders have emerged as potential buyers, including Elon Musk, who is known for social media investments, Oracle's Larry Ellison, who has a strong connection to TikTok's U.S. operations, and Microsoft, which is trying to expand its social media presence. The urgency of these negotiations highlights broader issues of censorship and government control in social media.
While South Africa-born Musk hasn't publicly expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022 demonstrates his appetite for social media investments.
Oracle, led by Larry Ellison, already plays a crucial role in TikTok's US operations as its trusted data storage provider - a relationship that dates back to previous negotiations during the first Trump administration.
US tech colossus Microsoft stands out as a compelling potential buyer, armed with deep pockets and significant technological capabilities in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Musk has criticised the potential ban, arguing that "it is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control!"
Collection
[
|
...
]