Crypto Quill

Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, has stepped into the high-stakes race to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. Teaming up with former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, Ohanian is pushing for a radical transformation of the social media giant. His goal? To integrate blockchain technology and give users true ownership of their content and data.

A Billion-Dollar Battle for TikTok

The fight over TikTok’s future in the U.S. has reached a boiling point. Lawmakers and regulators have been eyeing the Chinese-owned platform with suspicion, citing national security concerns. The push for a forced sale or outright ban has sent shockwaves through the tech industry.

Now, McCourt’s bid, which includes Ohanian, seeks to take control of TikTok and steer it in a new direction. McCourt has long advocated for decentralizing the internet, and Ohanian brings a deep understanding of online communities to the table. If successful, their vision could reshape how social media operates in America.

Why Blockchain? Ohanian’s Big Plan

Ohanian’s interest in TikTok isn’t just about ownership—it’s about redefining user control. He wants to integrate the Frequency blockchain, a system designed to shift power away from centralized platforms and put it back in the hands of users.

• Content Ownership: Blockchain would allow TikTok users to truly own their videos, rather than leaving them at the mercy of platform policies.
• Data Control: Instead of TikTok collecting and monetizing user data, blockchain could enable individuals to decide how their data is used—or even profit from it.
• Decentralization: This shift could prevent a single entity from having complete control over the platform’s algorithm and content moderation.

Ohanian, a longtime advocate for blockchain, sees this as the next evolution of social media. Whether regulators or mainstream users will embrace the idea, however, remains to be seen.

Will the U.S. Government Approve the Sale?

The U.S. government’s role in the TikTok saga cannot be ignored. With rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China, Washington has been pushing for TikTok to sever ties with its parent company, ByteDance. A sale to an American-led group could resolve some of these concerns, but that doesn’t mean regulators will approve just any deal.

Several key questions remain:

• Will the bid be high enough? TikTok is valued in the tens of billions, and any deal would require massive financial backing.
• Will blockchain integration satisfy regulators? A decentralized model could actually make oversight more difficult, raising new regulatory challenges.
• What about other bidders? Major tech firms and investors are likely circling TikTok, meaning Ohanian and McCourt will face stiff competition.

With the U.S. presidential election approaching, TikTok’s fate could become a hot-button political issue, further complicating any acquisition attempt.

Can Blockchain Social Media Really Work?

The idea of blockchain-powered social media is not new. Several platforms have already experimented with decentralized models, but none have reached the scale of TikTok.

A quick look at previous attempts:

Platform	Blockchain-Based?	Success Level
Steemit	Yes	Niche adoption
Mastodon	Partially	Small but growing
Lens Protocol	Yes	Early-stage development
Friend.tech	Yes	Mixed reception

While these platforms have shown promise, none have truly disrupted mainstream social media. TikTok’s massive user base could give blockchain social media its first real chance at success—if users and advertisers are willing to embrace the shift.

What’s Next?

For now, TikTok’s fate remains uncertain. Ohanian and McCourt’s bid is just one of many possibilities. ByteDance could fight the forced sale, courts could get involved, and new bidders could emerge at any moment.

One thing is clear: If Ohanian gets his way, TikTok as we know it could be in for a radical transformation.