Discussion

• @kaitlancollins Kaitlan Collins on x

  President Trump announces to reporters on Air Force One that he's banning TikTok.

• @jolingkent Jo Ling Kent on x

  In a statement, TikTok spox Hilary McQuaide responded to Pres @realDonaldTrump.. saying US user data is stored in the US “with strict controls on employee access” and “100 million Americans come to TikTok for entertainment and connection, especially during the pandemic.”

• @williamturton William Turton on x

  deeply confused that people are taking Trump at his word when he says he is going to “ban” TikTok....clearly that is not what's happening here, and it wouldn't be the first time Trump doesn't understand what the federal government is actually doing

• @nycsouthpaw Southpaw on x

  Wait - Don't we need to take account of the exceptions to the president's authority under IEEPA that are manifestly designed to prohibit him from interfering with personal communication, information exchange, or artistic expression? https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @hacks4pancakes Lesley Carhart on x

  Oh good. #VPN is trending. We've managed to actually make the security and privacy situation worse than millions of people just having TikTok installed.

• @cwarzel Charlie Warzel on x

  10 million times this https://twitter.com/...

• @mattyglesias Matthew Yglesias on x

  I've seen a lot of overconfident pronouncements that Trump can't ban TikTok. Presidents have tons of discretionary authority around foreign trade, foreign investment, international financial transactions, etc.

• @sherman4949 Alex Sherman on x

  TikTok shares video saying “we're not planning on going anywhere” and “we're here for the long run” while touting US job creation and safety/security and urging creators to keep sharing their voice with TikTok https://vm.tiktok.com/...

• @kerrymflynn @kerrymflynn on x

  👀 “We're not planning on going anywhere.” - TikTok GM @v_ness in a message to the community https://vm.tiktok.com/...

• @natashabertrand Natasha Bertrand on x

  “Trump's threat to ban TikTok came a few weeks after reports that many TikTok users had tried to sabotage a Trump campaign rally by requesting tickets they never planned to use and coordinated a push to flood Trump's campaign app with negative reviews”....https://www.bloomberg.co…

• @benthompson Ben Thompson on x

  As I also note in that article, I do in fact favor a spin-off to a non-Chinese company, and only see a ban as a last resort. I would like to see TikTok develop into a Facebook rival in particular. But the current ownership structure is an insane risk for the US to take.

• @benthompson Ben Thompson on x

  “Trump is banning TikTok because of Tulsa” is a classic example of the right thing being done for the right reasons but perhaps the wrong motivations. Folks really need to get past the third point and realize that the second matters: ByteDance answers to the CCP.

• @levie Aaron Levie on x

  Someone's about to make a gajillion dollars cloning TikTok in the US. https://twitter.com/...

• @nailogical @nailogical on x

  So in Canada u now get free healthcare AND free TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @firstadopter Tae Kim on x

  100 million Americans using TikTok is a new number from the company. As recently as July 10, TikTok said just “tens of millions of Americans” used their service. Several analyst estimates were around 45 million https://twitter.com/...

• @michaelpfreeman Michael Freeman on x

  Tougher on Sarah Cooper than on Russia putting a bounty on U.S. soldiers. https://twitter.com/...

• @laurenweinstein Lauren Weinstein on x

  Trump is pissed off because of the (somewhat dubious) claims that TikTok users wrecked his Tulsa rally. He doesn't give a damn about Chinese “espionage,” etc. He just starts ranting when he doesn't get a cut.

• @kyurieff Kaya Yurieff on x

  TikTok creators are going live + posting videos about the ban and asking their fans to follow them on Instagram and other social platforms. Much like when the Trump admin initially said it was looking into a TikTok ban: https://www.cnn.com/...

• @vikramsathaye Vikram Sathaye on x

  If Microsoft buys it and gets jobs for locals then decision will be reversed for sure , in India also. https://twitter.com/...

• @karaswisher Kara Swisher on x

  This is deep in my long thread, but let me make this dead clear: Banning TikTok and then oddly enough not allowing a decent solution like an IPO here in the US or being bought by a US company is a THANK YOU gift to Mark Zuckerberg from Donald Trump. Or should I say Spasibo? 🇷🇺 ht…

• @rabois Keith Rabois on x

  US law currently doesn't allow foreigners (even British) to own commercial airlines. Threat posed by app/data ownership is > greater.

• @tessplease @tessplease on x

  trump's desire to ban tiktok has nothing to do with its privacy violations. it has to do with gen z's ability to make waves on it. he's trying to sweep their platform from beneath them. now's a good time for a new platform to step in, one run by a diverse team of sensitive folks.…

• @profjeffjarviss @profjeffjarviss on x

  Biden *must* come out with a strong new TikTok dance — tonight.

• @thegrugq Thaddeus E. Grugq on x

  Dude is still fuming about Tulsa and those meddling kids https://twitter.com/...

• @suhaunah @suhaunah on x

  Speaking to reporters on Air Force One Friday night, Trump said a ban of TikTok was imminent—w/ action as early as Saturday—to be imposed by exec order or emergency economic powers. “I have that authority,” he said (tho experts say it's not clear he does) https://www.latimes.com/…

• @eggroli Jason Wong on x

  The potential ban on Tiktok is a harsh reminder that we're all living on rented land Creators not only need to diversify their social channels, but take ownership over their career by starting a business so they're not depending their income on something that could be gone tmr

• @davidshepardson @davidshepardson on x

  Remarkable turn of events. Trump wants to ban 80 million Americans from using TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @levie Aaron Levie on x

  We're all out here playing checkers and Zuck is playing chess. https://twitter.com/...

• @curtmega Curt Mega on x

  Thank God the U.S. is really stepping up and taking swift action against the biggest threats that face our country. I am, of course, referring to TikTok. https://www.google.com/...

• @rmac18 @rmac18 on x

  New update: TikTok declined to comment on if it'd take legal action against the Trump admin if there's an executive order that's used to ban the app. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ...

• @sarahfrier Sarah Frier on x

  so as the US government pursues a probe of Facebook for antitrust the president wants to ban their fastest-growing competitor from operating in their most profitable market

• @loudmouthjulia Julia Alexander on x

  it's going to be super ~something~ watching people who don't use tiktok talk about nothing but tiktok for the next little while, huh

• @seldo Laurie Voss on x

  It is really weird that none of the coverage of Trump's desire to ban TikTok mentions that TikTok was credited with ruining his Tulsa rally and that he is still really mad about that. https://www.cnbc.com/...

• @jenniferjjacobs Jennifer Jacobs on x

  “As far as TikTok is concerned, we're banning them from the United States,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “Soon. Immediately. I mean essentially immediately.” “I will sign the document tomorrow,” he said..

• @ahmedbaba_ Ahmed Baba on x

  I'm sure the reasoning for Trump wanting to ban TikTok was 100% due to his very deep concerns about Chinese surveillance of US citizens and has nothing to do with the fact TikTok users helped sabotage his Tulsa rally and @sarahcpr uses TikTok and goes viral mocking him.

• @reckless Nilay Patel on x

  Y'all it's uh harder than it sounds. Trump just says shit https://www.theverge.com/...

• @karaswisher Kara Swisher on x

  That said, there's a lot of irrational damage Trump can do here since this is hard to litigate & he can throw a lot of crazy law at it related to foreign companies. That said, there're also those involved who would support a US IPO or sale to a US company. A giant mess as usual.

• @joshconstine Josh Constine -SignalFire on x

  Trump says he's banning TikTok rather than let Microsoft buy it. Uncortunately, this keeps China in control of the app's global cultural influence, even in not in the US

• @wongmjane Jane Manchun Wong on x

  This TikTok ban is gonna piss off many teens, especially the underage ones, many of which probably won't vote for Trump this fall

• @jimmysecuk Jimmy on x

  I guess the Chinese government could reciprocate by threatening to ban Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook from the Chinese domestic market. 🙃 https://twitter.com/...

• @karaswisher Kara Swisher on x

  Let's be clear, just because he says he can do something does not mean he can. And he also cannot decree by fiat whether a US company can or cannot buy something. There is a process here and last time I looked this dude was not a king and this is not like his reality show. https:…

• @peard33 Paresh Dave on x

  President Trump says he will ban TikTok from the U.S. as soon as Saturday, @alexalper reports

• @iamaliceophelia Alice Ophelia on x

  the 👑 of bass @bludetiger (y'all remember her Savage cover?!) trying to figure it out: https://twitter.com/...

• @pranavdixit @pranavdixit on x

  When the Indian government banned TikTok and other Chinese apps, TikTok voluntarily pulled its app from the App Store and Play Store and started showing this notice in the app. Curious what a “ban” in the US is going to look like. https://twitter.com/...

• @yashar @yashar on x

  Keep in mind this is happening days ahead of Instagram/Facebook launching a competitor to TikTok called REELS https://twitter.com/...

• @panzer Matthew Panzarino on x

  teens VPN-ing INTO China rather than out of it was, unfortunately actually on my 2020 bingo card

• @scottnover Scott Nover on x

  It doesn't matter what he says. He cannot legally “terminate” a company. https://twitter.com/...

• @mims Christopher Mims on x

  Good news for Facebook's TikTok clone within Instagram, Reels https://twitter.com/...

• @joannastern Joanna Stern on x

  @film_girl Already been taught. VPN instructions for how to watch Friends when it went off Netflix were all over TikTok!

• @kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz on x

  Just as Microsoft was about to get cool https://twitter.com/...

• @taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x

  News is spreading abt the ban through all the TikToker group chats rn. Everyone is going live encouraging fans to follow them elsewhere on social media https://twitter.com/...

• @willoremus Will Oremus on x

  I wrote earlier this month about how to tell if a call to ban TikTok is in good faith: whether it also addresses the real security risks posed by U.S. social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter: https://onezero.medium.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @ronnehring Ron Nehring on x

  Sincere questions: - Source of exec authority to ban a social media platform? App? - What special risk posed by #TikTok vs laptop, router, phone all made in China? - Why not ban every app and platform from any company with a presence in China? - Why oppose sale to Microsoft?

• @_danielsinclair Daniel Sinclair on x

  I would expect Apple to be in the line of fire if China retaliates https://twitter.com/...

• @franklinleonard Franklin Leonard on x

  How much can I pay a reporter to ask as a follow up to this whether he intends to ban OnlyFans? https://twitter.com/...

• @_danielsinclair Daniel Sinclair on x

  What would a U.S. ban look like? It depends how it is implemented, but U.S. enterprises would likely quickly break off relationships. There would be no censorship, but TikTok would disappear from Apple's App Store and Google Play. Then AWS would wind down ByteDance as a customer.…

• @jakeholla Jake Holland on x

  still big mad about Tulsa, huh? https://twitter.com/...

• @tsuvik Vikas SN on x

  @zittrain @TaylorLorenz In India, TikTok voluntarily took down the apps from Google Play Store & Apple App Store as well as shutting down the service entirely. Not accessible via VPNs as well. For other apps that were banned, Google & Apple have blocked access to the apps https:/…

• @loudmouthjulia Julia Alexander on x

  As @TaylorLorenz rightly pointed out, top tier talent can navigate it (often with the help of talent reps, agencies, marketing, PR, etc). But majority of creators are platform specific. It's difficult learning how to game one platform's algorithm/ecosystem, let alone three/four.

• @daniel_rubino Daniel Rubino on x

  lol k Still takes a week+ to get COVID test results, 230K+ estimated dead by Nov, the economy is crashing, people are being evicted, but hey, we're saved from silly videos! https://twitter.com/...

• @p_money Pete on x

  A lot of record label marketing budgets are toast next week https://twitter.com/...

• @nikitabier Nikita Bier on x

  This Tiktok ban is somewhat inspiring. For the first time, we are insisting on symmetrical internet policy with China. For all these years, I never understood how we simply accepted a reality where China could ban our apps without reciprocity.

• @karaswisher Kara Swisher on x

  This is national security issue, so the White House has much more power than its usual goofy and ultimately toothless declarations such as around Section 230.

• @danprimack Dan Primack on x

  Facebook entered the week worried that D.C. is moving toward trying to break it up, claiming it stifles competition and innovation. It ends the week with D.C. offering to eliminate its greatest upstart competition in the U.S., with FB giving nothing in return.

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  If US politicians are concerned about PRC surveillance capabilities being enhanced by Chinese-run apps, then WeChat should absolutely be on the top of that list. Likely one of the most important global mass surveillance tools in the MSS/PLA arsenal.

• @nic__carter Nic Carter on x

  Writing is on the wall; capital markets relationships between the US and China will be severed. US taking umbrage with Chinese shareholders exerting influence at American firms & at retail investor losses on US-listed Chinese firms w/ dodgy accounting https://twitter.com/...

• @danprimack Dan Primack on x

  Source tells me Trump “as a deal on his desk” whereby Bytedance would sell 100% of TikTok to MSFT. Unclear if current VC shareholders would roll over into it. This is what they thought he wanted.

• @tomgara Tom Gara on x

  Also, TikTok will put Microsoft right into the thick of the Great Moderation War, which is maybe the worst PR / regulatory quagmire the tech industry has experienced in decades, and one Microsoft has managed to almost entirely stay out of

• @tomgara Tom Gara on x

  (It could also have two billion users in five years! But just seems way riskier, and in a much more ephemeral and unpredictable space than anything else Microsoft is used to playing in)

• @tomgara Tom Gara on x

  This Reuters report makes fairly clear what's really going on: TikTok is close to a deal to sell to Microsoft, the Chinese owners were haggling over trying to retain a small stake, Trump's threat to ban was just a blustery negotiating tactic https://www.reuters.com/...

• @sherman4949 Alex Sherman on x

  I was also told yesterday that the deal Microsoft was talking about was 100% of TikTok. This is a big deal - billions of dollars at stake. https://www.cnbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @tomwarren Tom Warren on x

  Reuters reporting that TikTok owner ByteDance has offered the US a deal that involves Microsoft taking ownership of TikTok in the US. Up to the White House to decide now, but I hope Microsoft doesn't announce this during the FA Cup final 😅 https://www.reuters.com/... https://twit…

• @vladsavov Vlad Savov on x

  The US is such a lover of free enterprise that its president is holding a gun against TikTok's head and telling ByteDance “sell it or it dies.” https://www.reuters.com/...

• @charlesarthur Charles Arthur on x

  “Please join my professional network on TikTok (and, optionally, Minecraft)” https://twitter.com/...

• @geoffreyfowler Geoffrey A. Fowler on x

  Looking forward to Microsoft TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @levynews Ari Levy on x

  Gates and Ballmer practically created TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @tomwarren Tom Warren on x

  Microsoft buying TikTok? I'm only interested if we are gonna get more TikTok videos like this https://twitter.com/...

• @joannastern Joanna Stern on x

  The OG Charli D'Amelio https://twitter.com/...

• @alexia Alexia Bonatsos on x

  Microsoft is in TikTalks.

• @mikeisaac Rat King on x

  Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok as Trump considers banning the China-backed app in the United States with @AnaSwanson https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @hawleymo Josh Hawley on x

  Big news if accurate - and exactly the right outcome. #China-based @BytedanceTalk should not own tech companies in the United States https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @senblumenthal Richard Blumenthal on x

  This potential Microsoft takeover should not distract us from the need to crack down on insidious spying & surveillance by TikTok, Zoom, & other Chinese companies. I've asked that the DOJ investigate & take action against them to protect our national security & consumer privacy. …

• @benjaminnorton Ben Norton on x

  The new cold war on China is already proving to be profitable for US corporations: The Trump admin has been trying to repress TikTok, because it is owned by a Chinese company (the horror!), so now Microsoft is exploiting it as an opportunity to buy TikTok https://www.nytimes.com/…

• @jaltucher James Altucher on x

  Because Bill Gates has been dying to get this video on TikTok. Good for him. Pursue your dreams Bill. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @theperezhilton Perez on x

  Microsoft would ruin TikTok!! https://tinyurl.com/...

• @divinetechygirl @divinetechygirl on x

  Does this mean that I can re-install TikTok on my phone? 😝 https://twitter.com/...

• @tiffanycli Tiffany C. Li on x

  This is a big deal for privacy, online speech, national security, remix culture, data economy, digital trade and competition, US-China relations, global internet norms, and more! https://twitter.com/...

• @qiaocollective @qiaocollective on x

  Digital security now means “not Chinese.” Which means State Department security concerns over TikTok set things up nicely for US tech giants to absorb Chinese competitors https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @markamesexiled Mark Ames on x

  I remember Putin/Kremlin getting pilloried for doing this same thing: wage big public scare campaign against a successful business, claiming it's a national security threat—force it to sell to domestic company in bed with your state security services https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @lanceulanoff Lance Ulanoff on x

  I can't imagine that Microsoft is the only company looking at TikTok. Apple, Amazon, Facebook must also be in the mix or at least talking about it. https://twitter.com/...

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  Two more thoughts on MSFT+TikTok: 1) What options would MSFT have for getting out of TikTok's just-signed, huge contract with Google Cloud? 2) This makes more sense if you consider that Microsoft just tried and failed to go up against Twitch using an internally built product.

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  1) I continue to be wary of forcing a sale of TikTok without data protection laws they could try to follow. 2) Microsoft would face a real challenge technically forking from ByteDance 3) MSFT has one of the best child safety teams, which is a larger risk on TikTok right now https…

• @collision John Collison on x

  There is, of course, an active Excel subculture on TikTok. Synergies are really obvious. https://vm.tiktok.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @cnet @cnet on x

  TikTok is China's first global social media hit, but politicians worry that the Chinese government could use the app to spy on citizens and spread political propaganda. https://www.cnet.com/...

• @mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x

  Pretty steep price to get them to develop a Windows Phone app... https://twitter.com/...

• @ericjackson Eric Jackson on x

  So if Microsoft buys US Tik Tok, Kevin Mayer reports to Satya Nadella in Seattle instead of Bob Chapek in Burbank?

• @techaltar @techaltar on x

  - TikTok isn't related to any of Microsoft's core customers, strenghts or business units -> no synergies - Microsoft is bad at consumer software, especially “hip” social stuff -> they will suck at TikTok - Microsoft doesn't need the regulatory scrutiny this would bring them

• @sarthakgh Sar Haribhakti on x

  “Senior ByteDance executives see Microsoft as more able to afford Tiktok, which could be worth $30 billion or more....ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming also has ties to Microsoft, having worked there early in his career.” Nadella GOAT https://twitter.com/...

• @gartenberg Michael Gartenberg on x

  TikTok could also be an exclusive for the next generation of Kin devices.

• @rachelbovard Rachel Bovard on x

  Lol that TikTok spent the last month hiring every single former congressional leadership staffer to stop stuff like this. https://twitter.com/...

• @sinanaral Sinan Aral on x

  Huge news in the social economy today... Massive implications for the space, from antitrust to the international landscape of social media... Microsoft in Talks to Buy TikTok, as U.S. Weighs Ban on App https://www.wsj.com/...

• @alicegoldfuss @alicegoldfuss on x

  can't wait for microsoft to buy tiktok and relaunch as tikteams

• @cloud_opinion @cloud_opinion on x

  I would love to be a fly in the room when Tiktok engineers meet with Sharepoint engineers to discuss integration plans.

• @caseynewton Casey Newton on x

  Microsoft appears to be on the cusp of owning a cradle-to-grave social network: Minecraft —> TikTok —> Excel

• @willoremus Will Oremus on x

  I have an idea, let's take the one giant tech company that *isn't* the subject of a major federal antitrust investiagion, and hand it the fastest-growing social media property in the world. https://twitter.com/...

• @gartenberg Michael Gartenberg on x

  Microsoft buying TikTok is a great idea, could complement Mixer quite well.

• @kellymakena Makena Kelly on x

  Here's how TikTok is responding to Trump's reported impending order and news that Microsoft could be a potential buyer: https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @ditzkoff Dave Itzkoff on x

  it looks like you're trying to insinuate yourself into a youth culture with no loyalty to your brand https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x

  Microsoft would own TikTok U.S and LinkedIn. 😬 https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x

  Microsoft desperate to have some kind of stake in mobile, no matter what it is, as they increasingly become sidelined and irrelevant in consumer computing 😅 https://twitter.com/...

• @aaronnagler Aaron Nagler on x

  Well, it was fun while it lasted... https://twitter.com/...

• @brandonhassler Brandon Hassler on x

  Brace yourself for the “Microsoft will find a way to ruin it” jokes. Let's not forget Microsoft bought LinkedIn and that platform is stronger than ever. https://twitter.com/...

• @nycsouthpaw Southpaw on x

  One last M&A deal before the war https://twitter.com/...

• @hshaban Hamza Shaban on x

  Facebook still stands to gain in this scenario If one of the tech giants buys TikTok, Zuckerberg can switch from “Look at TikTok, we have lots of competition!” to saying “Look at Microsoft/Amazon/Apple, they have an amazing new video service, like us!” https://www.bloomberg.com/.…

• @sunofgan Sundar G on x

  How TikTok will come to India. https://twitter.com/...

• @ajitnarasimhan Ajit Narasimhan on x

  Strange strange world out there! https://twitter.com/...

• @markgurman Mark Gurman on x

  https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @kurtwagner8 Kurt Wagner on x

  NEW: Microsoft is is talks to acquire TikTok's operations in the U.S. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @rustybrick Barry Schwartz on x

  This is interesting... Hey @facan can TikTok become a ranking signal? https://twitter.com/...

• @mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x

  Please no. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @cgasparino Charles Gasparino on x

  As first reported by ME: Microsoft Said to Be in Talks to Buy TikTok, as Trump Weighs Curtailing App https://www.nytimes.com/...

• @danprimack Dan Primack on x

  Maybe this is Satya's way of making sure he's invited to the next Congressional hearing.

• @marypcbuk Mary Branscombe on x

  Microsoft buying TikTok? well, that would it shut down in 18 months seriously Microsoft, stop trying to be one of the cool kids. if you can't even keep Cortana running on the Invoke, or keep Mixer going, what are you going to do with a video service?

• @hshaban Hamza Shaban on x

  Looking forward to Clippy teaching teens how to edit TikToks https://twitter.com/...

• @benedictevans Benedict Evans on x

  Step one: migrate it to the Skype back-end. Step two, integrate LinkedIn endorsements https://twitter.com/...

• @_danielsinclair Daniel Sinclair on x

  ByteDance was already vetting offers to sell a majority stake to investors. It's unclear if the Treasury changes that possibility, with ByteDance potentially forced to completely divest. https://twitter.com/...

• @carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x

  The fact that Microsoft wasn't in this week's antitrust hearing means they're the only big tech company with both the money & optics to buy TikTok without issues. Satya truly the GOAT tech CEO if he pulls this off. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @sallyshin Sally Shin on x

  If rumors are true, nice timing for Microsoft who was not part of the antitrust hearing this week be able to make a multibillion dollar bid for Tiktok. But could a consortium of investors like Sequoia and General Atlantic be a better viable option?

• @levie Aaron Levie on x

  This would definitely be tech industry altering. https://twitter.com/...

• @repkenbuck Congressman Ken Buck on x

  As long as #TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance, it's a national security threat. I'm thankful we have a President in the White House who is tough on Communist China. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @windowscentral @windowscentral on x

  🚨 Microsoft buying TikTok? Rumor is Redmond is in talks to do just that. (Nope, this isn't a joke.) https://www.windowscentral.com/ ...

• @danprimack Dan Primack on x

  Seems to me that Bytedance/TikTok may have dodged a bullet if the only fed action is divestment, instead of ban.

• @karissabe Karissa Bell on x

  Can't wait to join your professional network on TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @freialobo Freia Lobo on x

  the thought of Microsoft buying Tiktok is the funniest thing I've ever heard can you IMAGINE https://twitter.com/...

• @alexrkonrad Alex Konrad on x

  influencers now looking up how to TikTok from a Surface https://twitter.com/...

• @s8mb Sam Bowman on x

  Don't they realise it's not possible to compete with Facebook and Google for advertising spending? https://twitter.com/...

• @tomwarren Tom Warren on x

  Microsoft buying TikTok's US operations wouldn't make much sense for the company. https://twitter.com/...

• @zck Zak Kukoff on x

  This is perfect because I always felt TikTok was missing a helpful paperclip assistant https://twitter.com/...

• @ranjanxroy Ranjan on x

  The LinkedIn-ification of TikTok is nigh https://twitter.com/...

• @hipcityreg @hipcityreg on x

  I can't wait to link my GroupMe to my TikTok 🥵🥵🥵 https://twitter.com/...

• @samsheffer Sam Sheffer on x

  am I reading this correctly- MSFT in talks to buy TikTok from bytedance?? https://twitter.com/...

• @pitdesi Sheel Mohnot on x

  This makes a lot of sense to me. If $MSFT scoops TikTok, Nadella will add to his already great legacy pretty substantially imo https://twitter.com/...

• @olifranklin Oli Franklin-Wallis on x

  If you want to understand why Zuckerberg cosies up to Trump.... (Facebook is currently preparing to roll out Reels, its own TikTok competitor.) https://twitter.com/...

• @axios @axios on x

  NEW: The Trump administration plans to sign an order mandating that China-based ByteDance divest its ownership of U.S.-based video sharing app TikTok, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter. https://www.axios.com/...

• @eugenewei Eugene Wei on x

  Corp Dev departments everywhere https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @calicali2000 @calicali2000 on x

  How “free market” works in USA. 🙄 Killing the competition in order to maintain monopoly. #Bytedance #TikTok https://twitter.com/...

• @rmac18 @rmac18 on x

  If you want to see how the US gov can do this and force a Chinese company to sell off an American asset, look no further than what happened to Grindr. Still, TikTok is much larger than Grindr. This is bonkers. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ...

• @kevinroose Kevin Roose on x

  One downside of TikTok's “look how American we are!” campaign is that it makes it seem like separating TikTok from ByteDance operationally would be a clean, easy process. (It would not!)

• @nxthompson @nxthompson on x

  America on Wednesday: the tech companies are giant monopolies that distort markets! America on Friday: let's break up the one new competitor, which one of those giants will now likely buy. https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @jendeben Jenny Leonard on x

  NEWS: President Trump will direct China's ByteDance to divest its ownership of the popular U.S.-based music-video app TikTok, per sources. Announcement could come as soon as this afternoon. w/ @JenniferJJacobs @SalehaMohsin https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @masasoncap @masasoncap on x

  Anyone who says this is bullshit should also say that China should immediately let Amazon, Facebook and Google into China, or you have no intellectual honesty. - End rant https://twitter.com/...

• @carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x

  The weirdest thing about the TikTok discourse is there's no justification for the ban. There was hysteria about reading iOS clipboard data but so does LinkedIn & Reddit. It's a Chinese social media app but so is WeChat and it's links to PRC clearer. https://www.theatlantic.com/ .…

• @_danielsinclair Daniel Sinclair on x

  The Microsoft talks are quite interesting and complicated given Microsoft China, which has really been one of the few western outposts. How would TikTok fit under that umbrella? Would it also be airgapped from China? https://twitter.com/...

• @ericjackson Eric Jackson on x

  $30 billion = “more viable ” https://twitter.com/...