Frank McCourt announced on Monday that Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and a venture capitalist, has joined the bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. Ohanian will serve as a strategic advisor, bringing his expertise in social media to the project.
McCourt, aiming to give users more control over their data, calls the bid “The People’s Bid.” He explained Ohanian’s role: “He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving.” McCourt believes Ohanian will be instrumental in both validating the technology behind the bid and communicating its importance to a broad audience.
Ohanian expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing his commitment to empowering users with greater control over their data. The bid, submitted in early January, comes as ByteDance faces a deadline to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a ban. Although the app was briefly shut down, after President-elect Donald Trump granted a delay, the sale process is ongoing.
The potential acquisition of TikTok, a globally recognized video-sharing platform, has attracted significant interest from figures in finance, technology, and entertainment. Other bidders include a group led by tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, which includes YouTube personality MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) and Wyoming entrepreneur Reid Rasner.
McCourt has provided extensive information about his bid to the White House, including details about financing, technology, and national security considerations. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is only “lightly” engaged in the process, according to McCourt, and may opt to shut down the app rather than sell it.
