TikTok Bought by American Investors

TL;DR

• TikTok is now part owned by three major US investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX

• Bytedance retains 19.9% ownership 

• US owners are tightening surveillance  

Read on to find out what’s changing for users and what this means for the future of TikTok/social media.

Who owns TikTok?

In a bid to dodge a US ban, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has cut a deal with three non-Chinese investors: Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based investment company MGX, who each hold a 15% stake (TechCrunch). 

Together, they now control the majority of a new entity dubbed TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC (catchy, we know). ByteDance hangs onto just 19.9% ownership, while the rest is divided up among smaller American investors (TikTok). 

Some say the deal gives the appearance of US ownership, but that it’s more of a strategic face lift than a fundamental power shift, while others are less hopeful. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“I am so happy to have helped in saving TikTok! It will now be owned by a group of Great American Patriots and Investors…”

Trump might be happy, but TikTok users? Not so much. With one of the most culturally influential platforms in the world now in the hands of three Trump-supporting tech billionaires, for a platform that shaped a generation, it’s a pivotal moment. While a lot could stay the same, the power behind the scroll has changed. And that could mean the end of TikTok as we know it.

What’s changing for users?

Oracle’s grip on TikTok just tightened – and the timing isn’t a coincidence.

Oracle already had a foot in the door when it came to TikTok’s US user data, thanks to an earlier deal that let them oversee how American data is stored and secured. But under the new arrangement, Oracle’s role is going much deeper.

They’re not just storing data anymore, they’re helping shape the experience. That means retraining and fine-tuning TikTok’s algorithm based on US user behaviour, effectively taking control of what American users see, swipe on, and engage with.

This shift comes as Oracle ramps up its AI ambitions, recently signing a $300 billion agreement with OpenAI to power what they’re calling “the world’s fastest AI supercomputer.” Which raises big questions: Is the future of TikTok now just a testing ground for the US agenda?

At the same time, TikTok’s own privacy policy is expanding – quietly but significantly. The app is now collecting precise location data and tracking interactions with its AI tools. That includes user prompts, questions, and even metadata around how, when and where AI content is created. 

It’s granular, it’s powerful, and it’s happening behind the scenes. For a platform built on creativity and community, the subtext is clear: control is becoming part of the scroll. 

What does this mean for social media in 2026?

For a lot of users, this will be their reason to ditch TikTok for good. 

But where will they go? We’re already seeing attention drift towards platforms like Substack and Threads. Even Vine is rumoured to make a comeback (TechCrunch). But it’s hard to see these as long term solutions. The behavioural shift we’re seeing now (to ‘analogue’ dummy phones and disposable cameras, offline events and digital detoxes) is all a consequence of digital fatigue. 

Are you tired of feeling just that little bit worse after checking your phone? So are we. And for a social-first agency, that creates an interesting problem. 

But our focus is simple… People crave people. We’re hardwired for connection; to see, hear, and relate to others. So for us, the future of social media looks a lot more like community, and a lot less like consumption.

Check out our work 👉 https://ourownbrand.co/work/