Posted on 04/02/2025 9:26:57 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
Amazon has put in a last-minute bid to acquire all of TikTok, the popular video app, as it approaches an April deadline to be separated from its Chinese owner or face a ban in the United States, according to three people familiar with the bid.
Various parties who have been involved in the talks do not appear to be taking Amazon’s bid seriously, the people said. The bid came via an offer letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, according to a person briefed on the matter.
Amazon’s bid highlights the 11th-hour maneuvering in Washington over TikTok’s ownership. Policymakers in both parties have expressed deep national security concerns over the app’s Chinese ownership, and passed a law last year to force a sale of TikTok that was set to take effect in January.
President Trump, who has pledged repeatedly to save the app despite the national security concerns, delayed the enforcement of that law until Saturday, even after it was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court.
Amazon has some existing ties to TikTok. The video app, which counts 170 million users in the United States, has become a major hub of retail shopping, with influencers recommending products to viewers. While the company has its own e-commerce operation known as TikTok Shop, many influencers encourage people to buy products on Amazon, which gives the influencers a cut of the transactions. It has also provided some technical infrastructure.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
If Amazon bought TikTok then TikTok wouldn’t have to change how much it indoctrinates young Americans. LOL
Bezos would just be a middle man. China would still farm data through amazon.
They’re big enough.
I was worried about the Chinese spying on Americans but now Amazon can do it instead
The app is worthless without the source code which China will not sell, leaving a crippled app that no one will be able to use.
Yep, CIA loves Amazon!!
Think of the all the money the government saves by having private companies spy on its own citizens. It’s very efficient
Wonder if he’s going to give it to his teenage wife after the June wedding?.
| I was worried about the Chinese spying on Americans but now Amazon can do it instead. * * * And what about Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and all the other tech firms who make hundreds of billions as the information middlemen on Americans buying things off the web? Isn't it that the same thing? I thought Oracle's potential involvement in the TikTok deal was wise -- have them filter out all the personal information on Americans so the Chinese government can't access it. But is that approach still on the table (?). |
I’m against big business spying on me just as much big government but I guess the boat sailed on that a long time ago
It is an irritating problem. The best way I know to combat it can get slightly complicated and hard to keep track of. But all you have to do is set up accounts where you share little or no personal information including your primary cell phone. The biggest hoop you have to jump through to do is getting a cheap used, unlocked cell phone and purchasing a $3 a month "pay as you go cell phone plan" for "verification" and "account security" purposes. I give recommendations if anyone is actually interested.
President Trump just extended the deadline another 75 days.
Totally not in accordance with the law.
Good grief.
It’s weird how TikTok gets extension after extension after extension, but for complicated, multi-lateral trade negotiations everything has to happen yesterday.
Not good. And not legal.
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