Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian isn’t shying away from his opinions on the potential TikTok ban within the U.S.
In an Instagram post on Thursday that is now been viewed over 8,200 times, Ohanian explained that he’s “been advocating for something to occur for the last three or 4 years” in relation to the social media app and the way it’s getting used within the country.
“No American social media firms are allowed to operate in China, in order a matter of reciprocity, why are we letting a Chinese-owned social media company operate in America,” he asked viewers. “I do not think it must be banned, I believe it must be sold.”
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Ohanian hypothesized which firms or media conglomerates could potentially take control, mentioning Amazon, Walmart, and even Meta as options.
But Ohanian would favor someone not within the “tech elite.”
“There are many folks who’re very inquisitive about buying TikTok who will not be already a part of the social media tech elite who can be great candidates and I hope that is the final result we get,” he said.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan bill called the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” passed 352-65 within the House, which might require TikTok to separate from Chinese-operated ByteDance inside six months or be banned from usage within the U.S.
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The bill will move to the Senate, and, if passed, go to the desk of U.S. President Joe Biden, who has indicated that he would sign it.
“We’re hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, hearken to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, seven million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement earlier this week.