TikTok Says Reports Elon Musk could Buy Platform to Prevent US Ban are 'Pure Fiction'

By Evans Momodu
1 minute read

TikTok is confronting the possibility of being shut down across the United States on Sunday due to a national security ban ordered by the US government. The ban comes amidst concerns over the app’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

A Bloomberg report suggested that Beijing may consider allowing the sale of TikTok’s US operations to Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X (formerly Twitter), if the ban cannot be delayed or overturned. However, TikTok has dismissed these claims as “pure fiction.”

ByteDance and TikTok have consistently denied any collusion with the Chinese government, asserting that there is no evidence to suggest the app poses a threat to US security.

Beijing reportedly prefers that TikTok’s US operations remain under ByteDance’s control, maintaining their stance that the company operates independently.

The US Supreme Court has indicated its willingness to uphold the Biden administration’s ban, citing national security concerns as a priority over the free speech rights of TikTok’s 170 million US users.

A final ruling on the case has yet to be announced, but the ban is set to take effect on Sunday, just one day before Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term as President.

Ahead of his inauguration, Trump has urged the court to delay the ban, calling for more time to pursue a political resolution. If the ban remains in place, potential buyers beyond Musk include Trump’s former treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt.

TikTok, while rejecting the sale speculation, remains focused on challenging the ban, with no clear resolution in sight.
Source: Sky news