THE DECK | TikTok U.S. Takeover
Time Keeps On Ticking - Ticking Into the future
Update 11.20.25 TJ Baden
🟠 POWERNOTE: “WHO’S WATCHING WHOM?” — TIKTOK UPDATE
TJB / CreatorHuman — Truth Engine 2550™
The stakes just changed.
The platform we scroll past, double-tap, and shape our attention on is no longer neutral.
🇺🇸 Something like 80 % U.S. control, 6 of 7 board seats, algorithm custody shifting, data runs by Oracle. Creator Human+2Accio+2
But here’s the question no one is asking loud enough:
Who’s watching whom?
When the watchers become the owners, what happens to the watched?
We now face the moment where the currency of influence is algorithmic reach, and the currency of reach is untracked user attention.
When the deficit of oversight is flying higher than the tech valuations, the crown-racketing has begun.
Our asset: 21 trillion in income.
Their tool: your scroll.
Our risk: we keep paying the tab.
Their gain: they build the orchard, and we harvest nothing.
If we declare bankruptcy tomorrow, it won’t be because we lost the game — it will be because someone changed the rules behind our backs.
And nobody bothered to hold the stopwatch.
This card drops now — as a warning, as a mirror, as the beginning of accountability without kings
TikTok U.S. Takeover — What They Say vs What We Think
TikTok’s U.S. business is being spun off under a Washington-brokered deal. President Trump signed an executive order facilitating a sale of TikTok’s U.S. assetsbusinessinsider.com. The deal (reported value ~$14B) names a “blue-chip” consortium of American investors – Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, UAE-backed MGX, and Michael Dellbusinessinsider.comtheguardian.com – who will collectively own the majority of the new U.S. company.
Oracle (USA)
What They Say: Oracle is billed as the “trusted tech provider” – it will “license a copy” of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and host all U.S. user data on U.S. serverstheguardian.com (ostensibly to keep it out of Chinese hands). What We Think: In practice, this puts a pro-Trump tech giant (and its political allies) in direct control of TikTok’s data and secret algorithm. Risk tags: 🔴Algorithm Control Risk, ⚪Media Influence, ⚪Civic Trust, ⚪Data Ethics.
Silver Lake (USA)
What They Say: Silver Lake – a major Silicon Valley private equity firm – is portrayed as a strategic investor securing TikTok’s U.S. infrastructurereuters.com. What We Think: This actually hands a shadowy buyout firm unprecedented power over social media technology. Its profit-driven agenda threatens to consolidate control (and profits) over user data and algorithmic reach. Risk tags: ⚪Media Influence, 🔴Civic Trust, ⚪Algorithm Control Risk, ⚪Data Ethics.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z, USA)
What They Say: Top venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) claims it will help drive U.S. innovation in the new TikTok. Reports confirm the Oracle/Silver Lake consortium will include a16z as a partnerreuters.com. What We Think: In reality, this means venture capitalists – with big financial stakes – will shape TikTok’s future. Their profit motive could prioritize algorithmic growth and engagement above all else. Risk tags: ⚪Media Influence, 🔴Civic Trust, ⚪Algorithm Control Risk, ⚪Data Ethics.
Murdochs (Australia)
What They Say: Media mogul Rupert Murdoch (and son Lachlan) are touted as responsible “media stewards” in this dealtheguardian.com. What We Think: Giving already-powerful media owners a slice of TikTok means their ideological bias could dominate what 170+ million U.S. users see. It’s about narrative control, not neutral news. Risk tags: 🔴Media Influence, 🔴Civic Trust, ⚪Algorithm Control Risk, ⚪Data Ethics.
MGX (UAE)
What They Say: Abu Dhabi’s MGX (an AI-focused fund chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon) is described as an ally advancing responsible AI in the dealreuters.com. What We Think: Placing a UAE government-linked fund inside TikTok’s U.S. arm is worrisome: foreign state actors would gain visibility (and possible influence) over American user data and algorithms. Risk tags: ⚪Media Influence, 🔴Civic Trust, 🔴Algorithm Control Risk, 🔴Data Ethics.
Dell (USA)
What They Say: Michael Dell (billionaire founder of Dell Technologies) is mentioned among the deal partnerstheguardian.com, presumably to provide hardware and cloud infrastructure. What We Think: In reality, this is another corporate insider getting privileged access to user data. Even “safe” tech executives stand to benefit from data control. Risk tags: ⚪Media Influence, 🔵Civic Trust, ⚪Algorithm Control Risk, ⚪Data Ethics.
Each block contrasts the official narrative (“What They Say”) with a critical interpretation (“What We Think”), highlighted by ethical risk indicators. Red⚫ (“🔴”) marks high concern and blue⚫ (“🔵”) indicates trust; white⚪ denotes neutrality. All information is drawn from reporting on the TikTok divestiturebusinessinsider.comtheguardian.comtheguardian.comreuters.comreuters.comreuters.com.
Sources: Public statements and news reports on the U.S. TikTok takeover dealbusinessinsider.comtheguardian.comtheguardian.comreuters.comreuters.comreuters.com. Each stakeholder’s claimed role is based on official or media accounts; “What We Think” reflects analysis of power and risk implications.
Full article Posted CreatorHuman.com
THE DECK | TJ Baden