TikTok dismisses report of Musk
TikTok dismisses reports suggesting that it may sell its US business to billionaire Elon Musk, calling the claims “pure fiction.” This comes in response to a Bloomberg News report, which indicated that Chinese officials, amid growing concerns over a potential US ban, were exploring the idea of selling TikTok’s American operations to the owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has been embroiled in a lengthy battle with US lawmakers over national security concerns. These concerns centre on the app’s connections to China and the potential for Beijing to exert influence over user data. While TikTok has continually denied these allegations, the US government has imposed a January 19 deadline, demanding ByteDance either divest from TikTok’s US arm or face a nationwide ban.
The Bloomberg report claimed that Chinese officials were considering a sale to Musk should they fail to prevent the impending ban, with the possibility that the transaction could either be arranged through a competitive bidding process or through direct negotiations with the Chinese government. This development suggests that the future of TikTok in the US may no longer be determined solely by ByteDance, the report added.
In a firm response to the speculation, a TikTok spokesperson stated, “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.”
Despite the looming ban, outgoing US President Donald Trump has suggested that his administration would attempt to block the ban, advocating for a delay to allow time for a “political resolution.” However, this call comes after the ban’s scheduled enactment date.
Last week, during a hearing on the matter, the US Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold the ban. The justices seemed swayed by arguments that TikTok’s ties to China pose a significant national security risk, even though such a move could restrict free speech for the app’s 170 million users in the United States.
In previous comments, ByteDance had insisted that it would not sell TikTok, despite growing interest from various investors, including former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt. The app has faced similar scrutiny and bans in other countries, such as the UK, over concerns about its Chinese origins.
(With inputs from PA_Media)