Kevin O’Leary Groups Up With Frank McCourt for TikTok Bid

Kevin O’Leary is speaking about buying TikTok again, however this time with extra specifics.

The social media app is lower than two weeks away from dealing with a possible ban, although the Supreme Court docket is about to rule on a pause on Jan. 10 after TikTok and its dad or mum firm, China-based ByteDance, asked the Court to carry the Jan. 19 deadline.

In April, U.S. lawmakers handed a invoice that forces ByteDance to promote TikTok, although the corporate has repeatedly stated it is not for sale and would favor to close it down.

Associated: Meta Outage, Looming TikTok Ban Has Creators Questioning How Much of Their Business They Really Control

Nonetheless, that hasn’t deterred O’Leary, a.ok.a “Mr. Fantastic.”

This week, O’Leary introduced that he’s becoming a member of billionaire and former L.A. Dodgers proprietor Frank McCourt in a plan to purchase the social network. McCourt launched Undertaking Liberty in 2021 to assist construct and advocate for a safer and extra equitable web, in response to its web site.

In Could, McCourt revealed that Undertaking Liberty was “constructing a consortium to buy TikTok and rearchitect the platform to place individuals accountable for their digital identities and information,” which is named “the Folks’s Bid for TikTok.”

“We have constructed a clear, American-made tech stack and proceed to be the one viable bidder that may provide a seamless transition for everybody on TikTok with out the present algorithm, stated Frank McCourt, founding father of Undertaking Liberty, in a press release. “With the addition of Kevin and his numerous followers to our bid, The Folks’s Bid enters a brand new section.”

Undertaking Liberty’s investor group has dedicated to greater than $20 billion of capital, according to a spokesperson.

O’Leary has been vocal about wanting to purchase TikTok since March 2024, after the information broke of a possible ban. He told Fox & Friends that month, “If this order goes by means of, it is obtained to be bought. I will put up my hand and say I am going to purchase it.”

“It is the most important leisure and enterprise community in America because it stands right now, so it is of nice curiosity and nice worth,” O’Leary stated final March.

McCourt additionally famous that he appears ahead to “working with President-elect Trump to save lots of TikTok.”

“Kevin and I, together with the hundreds of supporters who’ve come ahead to again The Folks’s Bid, firmly consider we will construct a greater TikTok – one which protects our nationwide safety and turns into a secure, safe platform that hundreds of thousands of individuals on the app will belief,” McCourt stated.

Associated: Remote Work Enthusiast Kevin O’Leary Does TV Appearance Wearing Suit Jacket, Tie and Pajama Bottoms

O’Leary talked about his bid for the app in a news appearance this week in his signature pink pajama pants and flip-flops.