China Looks to Sell TikTok US to Elon Musk!
The most viable suitor would be Musk say parent company Bytedance but all options are on the table
Chinese officials are reportedly considering a potential sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk if the app cannot avoid a ban, though Beijing prefers TikTok remain under ByteDance’s control, Bloomberg News reported. The discussions, which ByteDance and Musk may not be fully aware of, come amid U.S. national security concerns and a looming Supreme Court decision that could force a sale or ban by January 19.
SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM BY SUBSCRIBING BELOW
Potential Sale of TikTok U.S. Operations
• Chinese officials are reportedly in preliminary talks about selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk if the app cannot avoid an impending ban.
• TikTok’s U.S. operations could be sold either through a competitive process or an arrangement led by the government, indicating ByteDance may lose control over its future in the U.S.
• One scenario involves Musk’s social media platform, X, taking control of TikTok U.S. and operating it jointly.
Beijing’s Position and Influence
• Beijing prefers that TikTok remains under the control of its parent company, ByteDance.
• China’s government holds a “golden share” in ByteDance, which some U.S. lawmakers argue gives it influence over TikTok’s operations.
• TikTok has previously stated that the government’s stake has no impact on ByteDance’s global operations outside of China.
Lack of Clarity in Discussions
• It is unclear how much ByteDance, TikTok, or Elon Musk are aware of the reported discussions.
• No direct talks between ByteDance, TikTok, and Musk regarding a possible deal have been confirmed.
• A TikTok spokesperson dismissed the report as “pure fiction.”
U.S. Legal and Political Context
• Last week, the Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold a law that could force TikTok to be sold or banned in the U.S. by January 19 due to national security concerns.
• Several members of Congress have cited concerns about China’s influence over TikTok as a justification for the potential ban.
Responses and Pending Information
• Elon Musk, X, and China’s Cyberspace and Ministry of Commerce have not responded to requests for comment.
• It remains unclear how the discussions might progress or whether officials in China have reached a consensus on the matter.
PLEASE SHARE THIS REPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA BELOW
GO DEEPER
• Chinese officials are in preliminary talks about potentially selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk if the app cannot avoid a ban.
• Beijing prefers TikTok to remain under the control of its parent company, ByteDance, according to Bloomberg News.
• TikTok’s U.S. operations could be sold through a competitive process or a government-arranged deal, indicating ByteDance may no longer have full control over the app’s future.
• China’s government holds a “golden share” in ByteDance, which some U.S. lawmakers say gives it power over TikTok.
• One scenario involves Musk’s social media platform X taking control of TikTok U.S. and running it jointly.
• It is unclear how much ByteDance, TikTok, or Musk are aware of the reported discussions, and no direct talks between the parties have been confirmed.
• TikTok has stated that the government’s stake in ByteDance does not affect its global operations outside China.
• Last week, the Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold a law requiring TikTok to be sold or banned in the U.S. by January 19 over national security concerns.
• Elon Musk, X, and China’s Cyberspace and Ministry of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment.