After the Supreme Court last month unanimously upheld the federal law forcing ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its American holdings or face a ban in the United States, the popular social media app became temporarily unavailable for U.S. users, only to be returned online after 12 hours. But, the app’s future survival may be influenced by influential donors who support the app, including a Binghamton University alumnus.

Jeff Yass ‘79, who earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics, is a founder of the Susquehanna International Group, a trading firm reported to have a significant financial stake in ByteDance. Yass’ personal shares are estimated to be worth in the tens of billions. Pipe Dream was unable to reach Yass for this story.

The wealthiest person in Pennsylvania, Yass is thought to have influenced President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in his first term expressing concern at TikTok’s Chinese ownership. The order, which prohibited transactions between Americans and ByteDance, was later blocked by a federal judge, and Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, revoked it in 2021.
“At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok,” the executive order, issued on Aug. 6, 2020, read.

In March 2024, Trump appeared to switch his position only days after he met with Yass, according to reporting from The New York Times. Trump has denied these claims, saying the two discussed education, not TikTok.

“He is truly a libertarian,” Frayda Levin, who is familiar with Yass, told Reuters. “His main interest is promoting school choice. That’s what motivates Jeff.”

At the time, a bipartisan initiative to confront TikTok was coming together in the halls of Congress. On March 13, 2024, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 352 to 65 to force divestment with the threat of an American ban. After the Senate approved the legislation not long after, Biden signed it on April 23.

On the first day of his second term, however, Trump signed an executive order ordering his attorney general to not enforce the TikTok ban for 75 days.

Yass, and his wife Janine, donated around $95 million to conservative outside funding groups in the 2024 election cycle, according to a report from the nonprofit OpenSecrets.

“I’ve supported libertarian and free market principles my entire adult life,” Yass told The Wall Street Journal in 2023. “TikTok is about free speech and innovation, the epitome of libertarian and free market ideals. The idea of banning TikTok is an anathema to everything I believe.”

A recent survey of nearly 1,000 undergraduate students revealed that nearly 75 percent of those polled use TikTok at least a few times a month, and almost half use TikTok daily. Thirty percent of the app’s regular users believe that a ban would negatively impact their grades, and 45 percent that it would harm their mental health.

The University has its own TikTok account, with more than 13,600 followers and nearly one million likes to date. From welcoming new students, touring the campus and dorms, highlighting events and sharing student opinions, the account is run largely by a team of students.

After TikTok was restored in the United States, the company released a statement crediting Trump’s promise to allow the return of U.S. access.

“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” they wrote. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”