Frank McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, has enlisted Reddit co-founder and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser in his bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. Ohanian, a prominent figure in the tech industry, brings extensive experience in social media and digital investments, having played a key role in Reddit’s development and backing companies such as Instacart, Patreon, and OpenSea.
McCourt’s bid, branded as “The People’s Bid” under his Project Liberty initiative, aims to give users greater control over their data. Ohanian’s involvement is expected to lend credibility to the initiative and help bridge the gap between tech experts and general users affected by digital platforms.
“He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving,” McCourt said of Ohanian. The collaboration seeks to advance Project Liberty’s vision of a decentralized digital ecosystem where users determine how their data is managed.
The bid comes amid regulatory pressure on ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations due to national security concerns. The U.S. government has mandated a sale or potential ban of the app, used by nearly half of America’s population. The sale process, overseen by Vice President JD Vance, has attracted multiple interested parties, including tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley’s group featuring YouTube star MrBeast and Wyoming entrepreneur Reid Rasner.
Despite the interest from various bidders, ByteDance has not actively engaged in negotiations, appointed a banker, or set a valuation for TikTok’s U.S. assets. McCourt acknowledged the uncertainty, suggesting ByteDance could ultimately opt to shut down the app in the U.S. rather than sell it.
McCourt has submitted comprehensive details about his bid to the White House, emphasizing its financial structure, technological approach, and ability to address national security concerns. As TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain, McCourt and his partners, including Ohanian, continue to push for a model that prioritizes data privacy and user empowerment.
