In a bid to save the TikTok ban in the United States, an American firm has stepped forward with an offer to purchase the Chinese-owned app. Chris Pavloski, the CEO of Rumble, made this announcement on the company’s webpage, expressing his readiness to take over and manage TikTok’s operations in the US. Shares of Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM) rose over 10% on Tuesday after the company said it was ready to buy and operate TikTok in the U.S.
Pic Credit: Rumble Inc. Official website.
Pauloski opened up about his plan that Rumble would store data securely within the US using its recently launched cloud service. He said that Rumble respects freedom of expression and the First Amendment, echoing the concerns of many TikTok users
Recently, a prominent Republican legislator expressed his intention to push for a House vote on a bill that would compel ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to sell the app or risk a ban in the US. The move was taken after the unanimous approval of the bill by the Energy and Commerce Committee
Should the bill be enacted, ByteDance would be given a six-month window to divest TikTok and its other applications to prevent a nationwide prohibition. The development comes after former President Donald Trump’s failed attempt to ban TikTok or an AR ban in 2020, a decision that was overturned by the courts. Subsequently, the Biden administration ordered a review of national security, and Congress passed a bill to ban TikTok on federal devices.
Elon Musk recently expressed his opinion on the bill in a recent post of X, saying that it is not just about TikTok, but also about censorship and government control. Which it doesn’t.
What Former President told on potential TikTok ban?
Former President Donald Trump also expressed his sadness of the potential ban, acknowledging the popularity of the platform, especially among young users who believe that without it it would be devastated. With nearly 170 million users in the US, most of whom are young TikTok is a crucial platform for both political parties as they vie for the youth vote in the upcoming general election.
As traditional platforms like cable television lose their appeal among younger voters, reaching this demographic has become increasingly challenging for campaigns. As per Statista, TikTok/Douyin’s brand value stood at a staggering billion in 2023, making it the most valuable unicorn globally.