What year are we in? It’s 2025, but it feels like déjà vu with Microsoft making headlines again as it considers buying TikTok.
Just to rewind a bit: last year, U.S. Congress passed a law demanding that TikTok, a company based in China, either sell its American operations or shut down entirely. President Biden didn’t block the bill, meaning it became law. TikTok didn’t comply with the demand to sell and shut down briefly last Sunday. Yet, it bounced back quickly with a message expressing gratitude to the incoming President Trump, who offered a temporary reprieve.
President Trump has granted TikTok a 90-day extension. Despite this leeway, Google Play and Apple’s app stores haven’t restored the app because of the legal constraints. TikTok must figure out a long-term solution: either cease operations in the U.S. or find a buyer in the months ahead.
According to NPR, in a piece shared by The Verge, Microsoft is once more contemplating the acquisition of TikTok.
The short-video app has faced global criticism for its addictive nature, accused of fostering echo chambers and facilitating radicalization. The U.S. views it as a national security threat due to its parent company, Bytedance’s, links with the Chinese Communist Party. Concerns have been raised about TikTok’s potential use in propaganda spreading or tracking Americans. Meanwhile, the European Union is probing its role in promoting extremist parties and distributing pro-Putin content across Europe.
Reports say the White House is mulling over a solution that might let Oracle purchase TikTok’s global operations while allowing Bytedance to keep a minority share. Microsoft is reportedly part of these discussions too, though details on their exact involvement are scarce. All parties have stayed tight-lipped regarding the matter.
TikTok remains a colossal social network, captivating Gen Alpha and Gen Z audiences. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Let’s look at the big players: Meta has Facebook and Instagram, Google owns YouTube, Amazon controls Twitch, and Microsoft? Well, they have LinkedIn.
While LinkedIn is indeed a big, profitable platform, it’s primarily a practical tool rather than a cultural trendsetter like other networks. If Microsoft could control a powerhouse like TikTok, it would surely enhance their consumer platforms—think Windows, Surface, and Xbox. Imagine direct TikTok integration on Xbox or a TikTok-inspired editing tool for Windows. Although, we’ve heard such speculations before when Microsoft acquired Skype—remember how that turned out?
It seems unlikely Microsoft will have any significant ownership of TikTok. However, TikTok is already one of Microsoft’s notable Azure AI clients. A lot of TikTok’s tech relies on Azure, though most of its infrastructure is hosted via Oracle’s cloud services. Microsoft’s involvement might just revolve around their Azure AI agreement, if I were to hazard a guess.
But what if it were more?
