Chinese officials have reportedly discussed the possibility of selling TikTok’s US operations to billionaire Elon Musk if the app faces a ban in the country. Another option explored is Musk acting as a broker in a sale to avoid the shutdown. While Beijing prefers TikTok to remain under the control of its parent company, ByteDance, other alternatives, including a deal involving Musk, are being considered. A TikTok spokesperson dismissed the reports, emphasizing the company’s stance of not selling its US operations.
TikTok, with 170 million users in the US, has become one of the world’s most popular social media apps, surpassing platforms like Facebook and Instagram in downloads since 2018. However, growing concerns about potential Chinese government influence over the app have led to a push from US lawmakers for ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. A bill requiring the sale or shutdown was passed in the House of Representatives in April, and the US Supreme Court is expected to rule on the issue by January 19.
There are discussions of selling TikTok’s US operations either through a competitive bidding process or a government arrangement. The Chinese government holds a “golden share” in ByteDance, which some US lawmakers argue gives it influence over TikTok’s operations.
Under one scenario, Musk’s platform X could manage TikTok US jointly. While no definitive discussions between ByteDance, TikTok, and Musk have been confirmed, the reports suggest that ByteDance’s control over the app could be changing. If Musk were to acquire TikTok, it would grant him more control over the US information ecosystem, following his acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022. However, such a move could face significant regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice.
A TikTok ban would likely cause discontent among its US users, with influencers like MrBeast joking about purchasing the app to prevent a ban. TikTok has insisted that China’s stake in ByteDance does not affect its global operations outside of China. Neither Musk, X, nor Chinese authorities have commented on the matter.
