TikTok has dismissed as “pure fiction” reports suggesting that Chinese authorities are contemplating a sale of the platform to Elon Musk to ensure its continued operation in the U.S.
Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Chinese officials are exploring the possibility of selling TikTok to Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, to prevent a ban set to take effect Sunday unless ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, sells its U.S. operations.
The reports also mentioned that Chinese authorities are considering “contingency plans,” though Beijing has not formally shared any such plans with ByteDance.
One of the potential scenarios under discussion, according to Bloomberg, could involve merging TikTok with Musk’s social media platform X.
However, the report also raised questions about how Musk, whose wealth exceeds $400 billion, would finance such a purchase and whether he might need to sell other assets.
In response, a TikTok spokesperson stated, “We cannot be expected to comment on pure fiction.”
This comes as the U.S. Supreme Court examines the constitutionality of a potential TikTok ban, prompted by the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. TikTok has challenged the bill, claiming it violates free speech protections under the First Amendment.
During oral arguments on Friday, many Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical of TikTok’s argument and appeared inclined to support the ban.
The bill, signed into law by outgoing President Joe Biden in April, was driven by national security concerns over TikTok’s data practices and its potential to sway public opinion.
Lawmakers from both major parties have expressed concerns that TikTok may be collecting personal data from U.S. users and could use the platform to influence political views.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to be inaugurated on January 20, had previously promised to “save” TikTok during his campaign, a shift from his earlier efforts to ban the app during his first term.
