Sources: the Trump admin is in talks for Oracle and a group of US investors to take over TikTok's global operations, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake

The Trump administration is working on a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group …

NPR 2025-01-26 Bobby Allyn

Context & Ripple Effects

This is a revival and expansion of a long-running Oracle–TikTok ownership/governance path. In 2020, Oracle was reported to be exploring an acquisition of TikTok operations across several English-speaking markets with US investors, while ByteDance considered a standalone US-based TikTok business with Oracle and Walmart as minority holders.

The new talks matter because they reportedly extend the proposed solution to global operations while preserving a minority ByteDance stake. Earlier reporting that Oracle could receive access to TikTok's source code and updates shows that ownership has been paired with operational-security oversight, not simply a financial investment.

First-order effects

Oracle and a group of US investors would become the prospective controlling operators of TikTok's global business, while ByteDance would shift to a minority-owner role if talks produce a deal.
The proposal immediately centers TikTok's continuity on a governance structure that separates formal control from ByteDance's retained economic interest.

Second-order effects

A ByteDance minority stake would make control rights, operational access, and security oversight the central negotiating issues, rather than ownership percentage alone.
Oracle's prospective role would reinforce its position as the preferred US-based operational partner in TikTok restructuring discussions, following its earlier investor and oversight proposals.

Third-order effects

If this structure is adopted, politically sensitive consumer platforms may increasingly be addressed through split ownership and locally anchored operating control rather than outright divestiture.
The case points toward contestable gatekeeping: governments may seek durable influence over platforms' governance and technical oversight without eliminating the original owner's financial participation.

The trend: TikTok is part of a broader shift toward national-security-driven platform governance that reallocates operational control while preserving some cross-border ownership.

Discussion

@mmasnick Mike Masnick on bluesky
Oracle has been a huge force (and huge funder) behind the repeal Section 230 campaign (almost entirely because they *hate* Google and think they're doing a “dirty tricks” campaign to harm Google). — Curious how Oracle will feel if it owns TikTok, which very heavily needs to rel…
@martinsfp @martinsfp on bluesky
Well this would certainly be a fascinating evolution of the US/China rivalry. [embedded post]
@hypervisible @hypervisible on bluesky
“...ByteDance would retain a minority stake in the company, but the app's algorithm, data collection and software updates will be overseen by Oracle, which already provides the foundation of TikTok's web infrastructure.”
@steveinskeep Steve Inskeep on bluesky
Trump administration working on a plan to take over TikTok, passing control to Oracle. China's ByteDance would keep a minority stake in the deal still being negotiated. First reported by @BobbyAllyn of NPR: — www.npr.org/2025/01/25/g...
@npr.org @npr.org on bluesky
NPR EXCLUSIVE: The aim is to place oversight control in the hands of American software company Oracle and other investors. Under federal law, TikTok must split apart from China, or face a nationwide ban.
@bobbyallyn Bobby Allyn on bluesky
Scoop: People involved in WH discussions about TikTok say Oracle and Microsoft having talks about taking control of TikTok's global operation, with ByteDance retaining minority stake www.npr.org/2025/01/25/g...
@harrymccracken@mastodon.social Harry McCracken on mastodon
Makes sense, Larry Ellison has always had his finger on the pulse of the social internet. https://www.npr.org/...
@vocino Travis Vocino on threads
Which letter of the alphabet is Larry Ellison going to rename TikTok to if he gets the deal?
@turnernovak Turner Novak on x
Insane to imagine Larry Ellison as CEO of TikTok
@danprimack Dan Primack on x
NPR report on possible TikTok deal sounds almost exactly like the deal that was proposed in 2020.
@bobbyallyn Bobby Allyn on x
Scoop: People involved in WH discussions about TikTok say Oracle and Microsoft having talks about taking control of TikTok's global operation, with ByteDance retaining minority stake https://www.npr.org/...
@levie Aaron Levie on x
The enterprise version of TikTok is going to be lit
r/China r on reddit
White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
r/wallstreetbets r on reddit
Oracle and Microsoft are reportedly in talks to take over TikTok
r/democrats r on reddit
Exclusive: White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
r/technology r on reddit
Oracle and Microsoft are reportedly in talks to take over TikTok
r/neoliberal r on reddit
Exclusive: White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
r/NPR r on reddit
Exclusive: White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
r/politics r on reddit
White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
@rjohdomingo @rjohdomingo on bluesky
Even Congress is perplexed by Trump's Executive Order on TikTok and legality of its joint venture with The United States. www.politico.com/live-updates...
@karaswisher Kara Swisher on bluesky
What nonsense www.washingtonpost.com/technology/ 2...
@drewharwell.com Drew Harwell on bluesky
A person familiar with the Biden White House's TikTok negotiations told me: “It was all a game. It was like a competition: What's a creative way to suck up to Trump? ... They created a crisis and then averted it. But there was no crisis” www.washingtonpost.com/technology/ 2...
@drewharwell Drew Harwell on threads
New: Inside TikTok's “Hail Mary” campaign to stall its nationwide ban. When the company pleaded with outgoing Biden officials and warned of a shutdown, the White House pushed back, calling it all a “stunt.” Both sides “just hated each other and fundamentally didn't trust each o…
@anupamchander Anupam Chander on x
This @washingtonpost.com story by @drewharwell.com is amazing. It reveals the inside negotiations before TikTok went dark. And it shows that it was the Biden Admin, not TikTok, that was pulling a “stunt.” 1/ [image]
@aaronblake Aaron Blake on x
It's hard to see so many WaPo colleagues go. It's great to see the people here still killing it, like this from ⁦@drewharwell⁩ https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
@washingtonpost @washingtonpost on x
When TikTok pleaded with outgoing Biden officials and threatened to go offline, the White House pushed back. There were 36 hours of frenzy as TikTok execs and lawyers sought and failed to get a last-minute reprieve from Biden, but landed one from Trump. https://www.washingtonpost…

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