Rumble makes offer to buy and operate TikTok in the US

The free speech video platform Rumble has offered to buy TikTok, as legislation moves through Congress that would see the popular social media platform banned in the US if parent company ByteDance does not divest from TikTok.

"In the event that ByteDance divests its ownership in TikTok, Rumble is ready to join a consortium with other parties seeking to acquire and operate TikTok inside the United States. Specifically, we are ready to serve as a cloud technology partner," a letter from Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew states.

"Yesterday, Rumble announced the public launch of Rumble Cloud, a new infrastructure as a service offering that champions the free and open internet," Pavlovski wrote. "All data on the Rumble Cloud is stored safely and securely at sites inside of the United States on Rumble’s own neutral and independent infrastructure."

The letter concluded, "Rumble’s offer to serve as a partner to a consortium to acquire and operate TikTok is subject to the negotiation of a definitive agreement."

TikTok sent a notification to American users earlier in the month urging them to "Stop a TikTok shutdown." 

"Congress is planning a total ban of TikTok. Speak up now–before the government strips 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression."

TikTok claimed that, if lawmakers went ahead and banned the app, the situation would "damage millions of businesses, destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country, and deny artists and audience."

The notification prompted users to input their zip code to be provided with the name and number of their Congress representative. Representatives reported receiving calls from users, including children, threatening suicide, assassination, and other acts of violence if they went forward with the bill.

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