Result test: The claim that Alphabet's financial results 'materialize' TikTok's initiative is a speculative interpretation, and not factual evidence of a direct causal link.
This logic would not prevail in a court of law, as Alphabet's financial successes are not a legal basis for TikTok's autonomous strategic decisions.
Entities operate with distinct commercial imperatives, making any attempt to establish a causal link for damages or costs unviable without proof of collusion.
TikTok's price announcement is an independent market decision; for example, the litigation between Epic Games and Apple demonstrates that companies' actions are judged on their own merits and not on the financial performance of other market players.