Report: Microsoft may still consider a run at TikTok if the Oracle deal fails

Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Cardinal

What you need to know

TikTok is a hip and happenin' social network that is positively rad with gen-Z kids.
The US government is, nevertheless, unhappy that TikTok's data is stored in China.
To that end, the previous administration forced TikTok to do a bargain with a Usa-based cloud provider, Oracle.
The new Biden administration, however, may cancel that bargain in favor of another visitor.
Fox Business organization sources reckon Microsoft may nevertheless have a gamble to country the deal instead.

Well, this is ane story that doesn't seem to desire to dice. According to sources speaking to Play a trick on Business, Microsoft may exist gearing upwardly to have some other cleft at TikTok, which is still pursuing a hosting deal with US-based deject provider Oracle.

In case y'all missed concluding summer's drama, the former United states presidential assistants forced TikTok's US operations to enter into a deject provision deal with a Us-based provider. This was over general privacy and national security concerns, given that TikTok's parent visitor ByteDance is based in China.

Initially, Microsoft was supposedly the frontrunner in the deal with the global phenomenon known every bit TikTok, where people share short creative videos full of memes, dancing, and other hip and cool trends I'thou too old to understand. Regardless, Microsoft wanted a piece of this extremely lucrative pie, given that TikTok is already 1 of the largest social networks on Earth, with truly wild profitability, owing to in-line ads and a very clever content delivery algorithm. Unfortunately for Redmond, Microsoft'southward bid failed to materialize, with competing cloud provider Oracle sweeping into the forepart-runner status. However, that may be about to change.

Tiktok Surface Duo 2022 Lede Source: Windows Central TikTok on a Surface Duo, showcased by our super absurd Exec Editor Daniel Rubino, who is a well-known TikTok fan.

Co-ordinate to sources speaking to Fox Business, the deal with Oracle is in danger of falling through. The new Biden administration in the US is supposedly unhappy with the deal, given that Oracle'south CTO, Larry Ellison, is reportedly a personal friend of Donald Trump. Co-ordinate to said reports, the Biden administration is likewise skeptical of the deal due to the "heavy-handed" nature of how it was handled last twelvemonth. Banking sources speaking to Trick Business seem confident that Microsoft may endeavor to re-enter the bargain, if Oracle is deemed unsuitable for approval.

Microsoft isn't exactly a tour de force in the social media infinite. The firm owns LinkedIn, which is a leader in employment and business organisation-oriented social networking. And Xbox Live boasts tens of millions of users, complete with messaging and mild sharing capabilities. However, Microsoft's mishandling of Skype and other consumer-oriented products has seen its social authority wane immensely over the final few years. Microsoft wouldn't necessarily exist in control of TikTok every bit a service equally a result of this deal, but it may gain some valuable insights equally a upshot of hosting the network in the US.

Either way, this is another bizarre twist in the TikTok tale which is unlikely to end any time soon. Now if you'll pardon me, I'm off to practice some cool TikTok dances.