TikTok is in an exceptionally powerful spot as of late. Regardless of everybody you understand utilizing it for hours on finish, the video-sharing app is at present going through laws that might power its ban in the uspending a possible sale, and potential consumers are lining up. Certainly one of these potential consumers is reportedly Bobby Kotick, the previous boss of Activision Blizzard, in keeping with the Wall Avenue Journal.
TikTok has been scrutinized for years by U.S. lawmakers who’ve argued that its China-based guardian firm ByteDance could share knowledge it collects with the Chinese language authorities, or that the app might function a propaganda supply instrument. Regardless of tensions ramping up a while in the past, main many to consider that the app can be banned within the U.S., issues had seemingly cooled till a invoice was pushed via the Home Power and Commerce Committee final week, ratcheting up the strain on ByteDance. The invoice is predicted to be reviewed and authorized by the Home of Representatives this week earlier than being despatched to the Senate, and President Joe Biden has already claimed he would log off on a ban if the invoice made it via laws.
The invoice requires that ByteDance “divest itself” of TikTok or see the app banned within the U.S., which has led to renewed curiosity from potential consumers, together with Kotick. Kotick, in keeping with WSJ’s sources, has floated the thought of a purchase to ByteDance’s co-founder and is reportedly in search of companions, which might embody Sam Altman of OpenAI. In line with the Wall Avenue Journal, “OpenAI might use TikTok to assist practice its AI fashions if a associate resembling Kotick might increase the capital for such an acquisition.” TikTok’s sale has been estimated to be within the vary of “lots of of billions of {dollars}.”
Kotick departed from Activision Blizzard late final 12 months after finishing the writer’s $68 billion sale to Microsoft. Kotick’s tenure at Activision Blizzard spanned many years and got here beneath hearth in 2021, when the state of California filed a now-dismissed lawsuit following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. In the end, California’s Civil Rights Division withdrew all allegations and claims regarding harassment and settled with Activision Blizzard in December 2023 for $54 million to resolve unsubstantiated pay and promotions claims.
The court-approved settlement included an announcement that supplied that:
“[N]o court docket or any unbiased investigation has substantiated any allegations that there was systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard; that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a tradition of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination; or that Activision Blizzard’s Board of Administrators together with its Chief Government Officer, Robert Kotick, acted improperly with regard to the dealing with of any situations of office misconduct.”
As well as, the settlement famous {that a} former chair of the EEOC had carried out a evaluate of the corporate’s insurance policies, practices and sure criticism knowledge and reported that there was no widespread harassment on the firm. The corporate itself publicly launched its Transparency Report, which additional asserted that there was by no means been widespread or systemic harassment or gender pay inequity at Activision Blizzard.
Kotick departed with a golden parachute estimated to be value round $15 million.
Up to date: 04/01/2024, 2:00 p.m. ET: This text has been up to date to incorporate particulars of the CRD settlement, that Activision Blizzard denied any wrongdoing, and the settlement confirms CRD couldn’t substantiate these claims.
Up to date: 05/17/2025, 12:10 p.m. ET: This text has been up to date to incorporate further language from the CRD settlement, and to incorporate that as a part of the settlement, the CRD withdrew the claims associated to harassment from its criticism.
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