TikTok bidder Rasner proposes user payments in exchange for data use amid acquisition hopes

CASPER, Wyo. — Rasner Media, the company with a $47.45 billion bid to buy TikTok, is planning to pay users monthly should it acquire the social media platform.

Rasner Media, owned by Casper’s Reid Rasner, said in a news release the initiative would pay every user of the app, from those who scroll to power users, with top influencers earning the most. The vision is that TikTok will remain free to use but that, for the first time, users will be compensated “for the value they bring to the platform,” the release states.

“TikTok’s previous model involved data collection with the parent company benefiting,” Rasner said. “At Rasner Media, we aim to shift this paradigm. Our model ensures users are financially rewarded for their participation on the platform.”

When asked by Oil City News about the financial sustainability of the plan, Rasner didn’t provide details, saying instead that Americans’ personal data is their most valuable asset, which large tech firms like TikTok, Facebook and Google use to profit immensely without sharing those dollars with users.

“Our approach is simple: we’re reclaiming that data and returning profits to the rightful owners — you. Instead of giving away your data for free, we’re creating a model where users share in the financial upside,” Rasner said. “The data economy is a trillion-dollar industry — it’s time for individuals to benefit from what’s rightfully theirs.”

Rasner Media is one of four major bids being considered by the White House for the U.S. acquisition of TikTok, the release stated.

“The Trump Administration is expected to play a key role in selecting the winning bid,” the release states.

Confirming an earlier announcement, the company reiterated that verification badges for users will require a fee.