Short-video app TikTok has rejected reports of a possible sale to billionaire Elon Musk as “pure fiction” just five days before TikTok faces a possible ban in the United States.
TikTok faces a January 19 deadline for a U.S. ban unless its Chinese owner ByteDance divests its U.S. operations.
ByteDance has previously said China would not allow it to sell TikTok or its algorithm, but media reports on Monday said Chinese officials were in preliminary talks about a potential sale of the short-video app's U.S. operations to Musk.
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Musk is known to have close ties with Beijing, especially China remains one of Tesla's largest markets. according to an industry executiveMusk's relationship with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang “makes everything possible for Tesla in China.”
Meanwhile, the billionaire is now a close aide to U.S. President-elect Trump, who has pledged to take a tough stance on China but said he has TikTok is a “warm spot” in his heart.
According to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, Chinese officials are actually considering “the possibility of allowing trusted non-Chinese parties such as Musk to invest in or control TikTok's business in the United States.”
according to Another media reportedChinese officials are considering a scenario in which Musk's social media platform X could control TikTok US and run the business together.
But officials have yet to reach a consensus on how to proceed, the report said. It added that TikTok's U.S. operations could be sold through a competitive process or a government arrangement, suggesting the app's future is no longer entirely controlled by bitbeats.
wall street journal It also said it was unclear whether officials had discussed the possibility of selling shares to Musk with senior Chinese leaders.
According to the Wall Street Journal, officials believe the best approach may be to let the ban “go into effect and keep TikTok under ByteDance's ownership so that negotiations can continue after Trump takes office.”
When asked to respond to reports of a possible sale to Musk, a TikTok spokesperson repeated a sentence to multiple media outlets: “We cannot be expected to comment on purely fictional events.”
“It's coming to an end”
Reports of a possible sale came after a series of efforts by ByteDance and TikTok to avoid a U.S. ban failed to break through.
Those efforts include calling on U.S. courts to halt enforcement of a law passed by Joe Biden's administration that sets a “defund or ban” deadline next week. Their latest lawsuit challenges the law— File a lawsuit with the U.S. Supreme Court – The app is widely expected to be taken down Received a “cold” reception Conservative justices from the court.
If reports that Beijing is considering selling TikTok are true, that's exactly what U.S. officials are hoping for.
Deputy Attorney General Elizabeth Prelogar, who has argued on behalf of the U.S. government to uphold divestment or debarment laws, told the Supreme Court that she expected ByteDance to eventually consider a sale “at a pinch.”
Preloga said that once the restrictions on the app take effect, “it will fundamentally change the landscape of byte-bounce considerations.”
It's unclear how much knowledge ByteDance had of any discussions with Chinese officials or the involvement of Musk and TikTok, and there was no information on whether ByteDance, TikTok and Musk had any talks about a possible deal.
Elon Musk, X, China Cyberspace and the Ministry of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lawmakers ask for deadline extension
Meanwhile, two Democratic congressmen Urges Congress and Biden Extended Sunday deadline.
Senator Edward Markey said he plans to introduce legislation that would delay ByteDance's deadline to sell TikTok by 270 days or face a ban.
“A ban would destroy a unique information and cultural ecosystem and silence millions of people in the process,” Markey said.
“A TikTok ban would have serious consequences for millions of Americans who rely on the app for social connections and economic livelihoods. We cannot allow this to happen.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna also urged Biden and Trump to “pause this ban so that 170 million Americans do not lose their freedom of speech.” If this ban is implemented, the livelihoods of millions of Americans will be terminated.
A TikTok lawyer told the Supreme Court on Friday that it would be impossible to complete the sale before next week's deadline. He said that if banned, TikTok would soon be in trouble and “the platform would basically shut down.”
- Reuters, with additional editing and input by Vishakha Saxena
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Donald Trump may try to block US ban on TikTok – WaPo
Trump says he will ‘never ban TikTok’ if elected – New York Post
TikTok comes under U.S. legal crackdown for 'harmful' impact on children
U.S. polls show that nearly half of Generation Z wish TikTok had never been invented
EU MP: TikTok CEO 'must explain role in Romanian polls' – Politico
Canada orders TikTok to close offices in country – Reuters
