Jesse Tinsley, founder of Employer.com, said he is leading a group of investors who want to keep TikTok in the United States while securing American data.
Jimmy Donaldson, known by subscribers as Mr. Beast for his top-ranked YouTube channel, is involved in talks to buy TikTok from its China-based owners.
Donaldson’s involvement was first made public by Employer.com founder and CEO Jesse Tinsley, who is leading the group’s efforts, and the group legal team at Paul Hastings, but MrBeast spokesperson Matthew Hiltzik said: said on January 21 that the YouTube star is not officially joining any organization. bid.
TikTok, the American version of the Chinese video app Douyin, has a total of 170 million users in the United States since its launch in 2017.
Under the Protecting Americans from Applications Controlled by Foreign Enemies Act, enacted in April 2024, TikTok will be banned in the U.S. starting January 19 for not separating from China-based owner ByteDance. It was prohibited from operating.
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He said a team of investors including Donaldson and Employer.com had “formally submitted an attractive all-cash offer to ByteDance to keep TikTok in the U.S.” and that “ByteDance’s board of directors has We are waiting for a response from them.”
“This is more than just a platform. It’s about TikTok remaining a safe space where free speech thrives and creators and communities can safely connect, inspire, share ideas, and respect data privacy.” “I guarantee that,” he wrote.
Tinsley said the lawyers representing the group include Brad Bondi, a partner at law firm Paul Hastings and the brother of President Trump’s attorney general nominee Pam Bondi, and Legal Scale. This includes founding partner Neil O’Donnell.
Hiltzik said “several buyers are in ongoing discussions with Jimmy,” but no exclusive deals have been signed yet.
The Epoch Times has reached out to MrBeast, Paul Hastings and ByteDance for comment.
Although ByteDance is a private company, it is based in China and hosts Chinese Communist Party (CCP) committees as required by Chinese law, which it must abide by. Chinese law could also require any organization, including private companies, to support the Chinese regime’s intelligence operations.
After President Trump tried to separate TikTok from ByteDance in 2020, the Chinese regime updated its export control list to target ByteDance’s algorithms and AI technology.
In March 2023, the Chinese government “firmly opposes” any forced sale of TikTok, stating that any forced sale or sale of TikTok “involves technology export issues” and must comply with Chinese laws and regulations. said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters on Monday that companies should be allowed to make their own decisions about business operations and acquisitions, but that “when Chinese companies are involved, Chinese laws and regulations must apply.” It must be complied with.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
