Chinese language authorities officers have reportedly mentioned a situation the place ByteDance sells TikTok’s United States arm to Elon Musk, ought to the Supreme Court docket uphold the regulation banning the app on January 19.
Bloomberg stories that China would strongly want for TikTok to remain beneath ByteDance’s possession, however says authorities officers have thought of a sale to Musk as a part of a broader plan to work with incoming president Donald Trump’s administration. In that situation, Musk’s X would purchase TikTok US, successfully absorbing the vertical video platform’s 170 million American customers and billions in potential advert income.
A TikTok spokesperson referred to as the report “pure fiction” in an announcement to Selection.
The report states it’s unclear how a lot ByteDance and TikTok find out about China’s discussions of a Musk sale, doubtlessly highlighting China’s alleged affect over the platform which led to this regulation within the first place.