Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, stunned his millions of TikTok followers by announcing his bid to purchase the platform. In a TikTok post that garnered over 73 million views, Donaldson expressed excitement, saying, “I might become you guys’ new CEO!” while rewarding $10,000 to five random new followers.
TikTok has been under scrutiny due to concerns about its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and its alleged ties to the Chinese government. U.S. lawmakers have mandated ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19, 2024, or face a nationwide ban.
MrBeast joins other high-profile suitors, including Elon Musk, Oracle, and investor Frank McCourt, each proposing unique visions for the platform. Former President Donald Trump has also suggested a 50-50 joint U.S. ownership model. As political and corporate players vie for control, TikTok’s future hangs in the balance, raising questions about its ownership and national security implications.
