China Considers Selling TikTok US Operations to Elon Musk Amid Potential Ban: Report

Washington: Chinese officials are reportedly considering selling TikTok's US division to billionaire Elon Musk if efforts to avoid a potential ban in the United States fail, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. The ban stems from concerns about China accessing sensitive data of millions of American TikTok users.

TikTok Not for Sale

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has strongly opposed selling the platform. The company is contesting the ban and has filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that TikTok should remain under ByteDance’s control. Francisco, representing content creators in court, has also stated that a sale might be impossible under the current legal framework.  

One possible solution being discussed involves Musk’s social media platform, X, taking control of TikTok’s US operations. According to the report, both platforms could potentially run the business together. However, Chinese officials have not reached a final decision, and discussions remain at a preliminary stage, according to the report.  

Last week, the US Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold a law that could force TikTok’s sale or a complete ban by January 19. Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised concerns about China accessing the personal data of millions of Americans, particularly teenagers and young adults.  

TikTok argued that a ban would violate American users’ freedom of speech. However, Chief Justice John Roberts dismissed the argument, stating, “ Congress is fine with the expression. They’re not fine with a foreign adversary gathering all this information about the 170 million people who use TikTok.”