Frank McCourt Jr. on TikTok Bid: Exclusive Interview
- Billionaire Frank McCourt jr., 71, is pursuing the acquisition of TikTok, but with a unique vision.
- McCourt, whose net worth is $2.4 billion, made his $20 billion offer in May 2024, calling it The People's Bid for TikTok.
- The potential acquisition has drawn interest from various parties, including AI startup Perplexity, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and Amazon.
Frank McCourt Jr. is pursuing a TikTok acquisition, but his vision diverges sharply from the norm. He’s not after the algorithm; instead, McCourt wants user data control, advocating for a decentralized social networking future. Backed by Kevin O’Leary and Alexis Ohanian, his $20 billion “People’s Bid” aims to migrate TikTok’s large user base to an open-source platform built around the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP). Imagine a world where your social media data is portable and interoperable,a vision driving McCourt’s strategy. News Directory 3 brings you an exclusive look at McCourt’s motivations and ambitious plans to reshape the social media landscape. Discover what’s next as McCourt seeks to give users control over their information.
Frank McCourt Bids for tiktok, Eyes User Data Control
Updated May 31, 2025
Billionaire Frank McCourt jr., 71, is pursuing the acquisition of TikTok, but with a unique vision. Unlike other potential buyers, the former L.A. Dodgers owner told Entrepreneur he and his partners “don’t need or want the algorithm.” McCourt’s bid centers on migrating TikTok’s massive user base to a new,open-source platform.
McCourt, whose net worth is $2.4 billion, made his $20 billion offer in May 2024, calling it The People’s Bid for TikTok. His strategy involves Project Liberty, a $500 million initiative focused on giving users control over their data. The move comes as TikTok faces a U.S. ban if it doesn’t separate from its parent company, ByteDance, by June 19.
The potential acquisition has drawn interest from various parties, including AI startup Perplexity, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and Amazon. Though, McCourt’s bid has garnered support from notable figures like “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary and Reddit co-founder Alexis ohanian.
mccourt said China has “made it very clear” they’re not selling the algorithm.
“We’re advocating for a new, better, advanced Internet were individuals own and control their identity and their data,” McCourt said.”We’re in charge, and our social information is ours to share with others as we see fit.”
The foundation of McCourt’s plan is the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), developed by Project Liberty. DSNP allows users to store their data in a portable profile, usable across various social apps, giving them control over how their information is shared. Currently,MeWe,a social media app with over 20 million users,utilizes DSNP.
McCourt envisions a future where social media apps are interoperable,similar to how phone networks function today. Users on different platforms could seamlessly communicate and share information, regardless of the specific app they are using. Scaling DSNP through TikTok’s 170 million users is central to McCourt’s strategy for a decentralized social networking future.
McCourt said gathering $20 billion for the bid was “quite easy” because “people saw the value” of the offer.
What’s next
Even if The People’s Bid is unsuccessful,McCourt is open to developing a competing social media app,emphasizing the need to move forward with his vision for user-controlled data and interoperable social networks.