The video platform Rumble is looking to acquire TikTok, a which may soon be blocked in the U.S.

Currently, the U.S. House passed a bill with bipartisan support that forced TikTok to either sell TikTok in the U.S. or face a ban.

The U.S. government has raised concerns over TikTok’s data practices and ties to the Chinese government. In response, Chris Pavlovski, the CEO of Rumble, declared that Rumble would be happy to buy TikTok in the event ByteDance, its parent company, decided to sell its shares.

“We are ready to serve as a cloud technology partner,” Pavlovski said, reiterating Rumble’s pledge to store data securely in the U.S. This deal comes after Rumble recently introduced Rumble Cloud, a service that aims to support open internet policy and free speech.

Rumble’s growing influence

Rumble is becoming more and more well-known in the tech sector by promoting itself as an uncensored substitute for websites like YouTube. Following the news of its cloud services and possible acquisition of TikTok, the company’s shares saw a sharp increase. 

This action supports Rumble’s objective of offering substitutes for industry-dominant digital behemoths such as Meta Platforms (previously Facebook).

Political and business implications

Political and commercial consequences could result from Rumble acquiring TikTok. The former U.S. president, Donald Trump, expressed his concerns about TikTok’s restriction, saying he thought it would result in a concentration of power in companies like Meta Platforms. In a similar line, citing concerns for national security, current U.S. President Joe Biden has backed legislation that would criminalize TikTok.

With several parties expressing interest in purchasing the app, TikTok’s future is still unclear. But because Rumble’s offer aims to allow for free speech and data security, it sticks out. Should the acquisition be successful, TikTok’s user interface and platform may change. Though, Rumble has a controversial image in the creator community, namely being accused of hosting misinformation and conspiracy theories. Also, many wonder whether Rumble could actually purchase TikTok considering the massive disparity in their market value. We will see how (if ever) TikTok responds to Rumble’s offer.

Featured image asset courtesy: Rumble