Discussion

• @geoffreyfowler Geoffrey A. Fowler on x

  Looking forward to Microsoft TikTok 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.

• @alexia Alexia Bonatsos on x

  Microsoft is in TikTalks.

• @joannastern Joanna Stern on x

  The OG Charli D'Amelio 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/...

• @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…

• @mikeelgan Mike Elgan on x

  The Sarah Cooper theory about why Trump wants to ban TikTok. https://www.vogue.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @wongmjane Jane Manchun Wong on x

  I feel like Facebook would've been interested to buying TikTok if it wasn't under the antitrust probe https://www.reuters.com/...

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  TikTok OEM Edition (comes pre-installed on your Dell laptop with a dozen unnecessary pieces of shovelware and is immediately replaced by a clean image of your TikTok Enterprise site license)

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  Tik 365- Click to Run x64 (totally separate from the embedded UWP installer) TikTok Enterprise E5 (comes with Advanced Threat Protection monitoring every syscall needed to generate an AI dance squad behind the user)

• @alexstamos Alex Stamos on x

  TikTok 2021 - Home Edition SP2 RTM Project Amber - Azure Tik Tok Streaming Synapse Analytics TikTok Series Tik

• @robertwrighter Robert Wright on x

  Whatever he's saying now, I'm betting Trump will proudly take credit if Microsoft indeed winds up buying TikTok. He'll say he coerced the Chinese into putting TikTok into American hands. https://www.wsj.com/... https://twitter.com/...

• @jonerlichman Jon Erlichman on x

  Microsoft's biggest acquisitions: Linkedin: $26.2 billion Skype: $8.5 billion GitHub: $7.5 bilion Nokia phone unit: $7.2 billion aQuantive: $6.3 billion Mojang (Minecraft): $2.5 billion Visio: $1.5 billion Navision: $1.5 billion Yammer: $1.2 billion https://www.bloomberg.com/...

• @niubi Bill Bishop on x

  ByteDance in terrible negotiating position. only us firms that can really afford it & have tech chops rebuild a prc-free backend r Microsoft, amazon, google & Facebook. The last 2 would have antitrust issues, not clear amzn interested. So only hope is msft, so should get bargain …

• @walldo Brandon Wall on x

  Ya, see also: “a source familiar with conversations between the administration and TikTok told BuzzFeed News that Trump is looking for a win, and trying to force one by ensuring the company's US operations would be 100% US-owned.” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ... https://twitter…

• @jacksondahl Jackson on x

  Thinking: What is Trump's motive to ban TikTok over forcing a complete acquisition to a US company. Assuming a complete divest, wouldn't it be definitively in Trump's interest to force the latter? Not that I believe Trump typically acts rationally (or at least unemotionally).. ht…

• @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/...

• @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/...

• @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. …

• @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.

• @caseynewton Casey Newton on x

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

• @mattnavarra Matt Navarra on x

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

• @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/...

• @levie Aaron Levie on x

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

• @mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x

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

• @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/...

• @gartenberg Michael Gartenberg on x

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