A US billionaire wants to take over TikTok to challenge the dominance of Big Tech

US real estate billionaire Frank McKer is designed to buy TIK to combat the negative impact of the main technology platforms on society. McCourt is famous for its Los Angeles Dodgers and Olympique de Marseille. Speaking at the Collision Technology Conference in Toronto, he highlighted the manipulative nature of social media algorithms, linking them to social chaos and political polarization.

McCourt's concerns stem from the negative impact of social media on mental health, particularly among children, with increased rates of anxiety, depression and teen suicide. His solution is "New Internet" based on open source, dispersed protocols and users control their data. With their huge youth users, the base will significantly promote the plan. Project Liberty has received support from Internet pioneer Tim Berners-Lee and NYU professor Jonathan Haidt.

The bid comes amid US government pressure on TikTok to divest Chinese ownership over national security concerns. While the future of TikTok ownership remains uncertain, McCourt hopes the situation will raise awareness of data protection issues across all platforms and highlight the need for users to control their personal data to uphold democratic values.