Reddit logo seen displayed on a smartphone and on the background. Source: Rafael Henrique - stock.adobe.com

Key Takeaways:

Alexis Ohanian joins bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations and integrate blockchain technology.
Project Liberty aims to decentralize TikTok, using Polkadot’s “Frequency” protocol to give users control over data.
Ohanian advocates for digital ownership, emphasizing user data rights and creator autonomy.

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has joined Project Liberty’s bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, aiming to prevent a potential ban and integrate blockchain technology into the platform.

The effort was announced by Frank McCourt, Project Liberty’s founder, on March 3, with Ohanian serving as a strategic adviser specializing in social media.

Exciting news for the digital world…

I'm officially now one of the people trying to buy TikTok US — and bring it on-chain.

TikTok has been a game-changer for creators, and it's future should be built by them↓ pic.twitter.com/SPq1Ppv1kK
— Alexis Ohanian 🗽 (@alexisohanian) March 4, 2025

Ohanian confirmed his involvement on X, stating, “I’m officially now one of the people trying to buy TikTok US — and bring it on-chain.”

He emphasized that users should own their data and creators should own their audience.

Project Liberty’s plan includes restructuring TikTok using blockchain technology to grant users greater control over their digital identities and data.

The initiative will utilize “Frequency,” a decentralized social network protocol built on Polkadot’s infrastructure.

Ohanian believes blockchain integration will make TikTok fairer and more transparent, benefiting creators by ensuring greater ownership and accountability.

His previous experience with blockchain includes Reddit’s investments in Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Polygon (POL) in 2022, though most of these holdings were sold by late 2024.

If successful, this move could reshape TikTok’s future by decentralizing user control while keeping the platform under U.S. ownership.