Chinese officials are reportedly weighing the possibility of selling TikTok to Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), if the popular social media platform cannot avert a U.S. ban, according to Bloomberg:
Beijing officials strongly prefer that TikTok remains under the ownership of parent ByteDance Ltd., the people say, and the company is contesting the impending ban with an appeal to the US Supreme Court. But the justices signaled during arguments on Jan. 10 that they are likely to uphold the law. Senior Chinese officials had already begun to debate contingency plans for TikTok as part of an expansive discussion on how to work with Donald Trump’s administration, one of which involves Musk, said the people, asking not to be identified revealing confidential discussions.
A potential high-profile deal with one of Trump’s closest allies holds some appeal for the Chinese government, which is expected to have some say over whether TikTok is ultimately sold, said the people. Musk spent more than $250 million supporting Trump’s re-election, and has been tapped for a prominent role in improving government efficiency after the Republican takes office.
Under one scenario that’s been discussed by the Chinese government, Musk’s X — the former Twitter — would take control of TikTok US and run the businesses together, the people said. With more than 170 million users in the US, TikTok could bolster X’s efforts to attract advertisers. Musk also founded a separate artificial intelligence company, xAI, that could benefit from the huge amounts of data generated from TikTok.
Chinese officials have yet to reach any firm consensus about how to proceed and their deliberations are still preliminary, the people said. It’s not clear how much ByteDance knows about the Chinese government discussions or whether TikTok and Musk have been involved. It’s also unclear whether Musk, TikTok and ByteDance have held any talks about the terms of any possible deal.
The report comes as TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, faces mounting scrutiny in the United States over concerns about data privacy, national security and foreign influence.
Musk’s Take on TikTok Ban: Principled Opposition
Musk, known for his outspoken views, has previously argued against banning TikTok despite acknowledging that such a move might benefit X.
“I’m generally against banning things,” Musk stated in a prior interview. “It would help Twitter if TikTok was banned because then people would spend more time on Twitter and less time on TikTok. But even if it would help Twitter, I would be generally against banning things.”
JUST IN: Chinese officials are discussing a possible sale of TikTok to Elon Musk if the company is unable to stop the US ban, according to Bloomberg.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 14, 2025
Big, if true.
Musk has previously spoken out against banning TikTok, arguing that although it would help X, he is against… pic.twitter.com/7m2V6fTlB9
U.S. Concerns Over TikTok’s Chinese Ties
At the heart of the issue is TikTok’s handling of U.S. user data. Critics argue that ByteDance could be compelled to share sensitive information with Chinese authorities under China’s stringent data security laws. Such data includes user locations, browsing habits and even biometric details.
Despite TikTok’s repeated denials of these allegations and steps taken to isolate its U.S. operations—such as establishing “Project Texas” to store data on American soil—skepticism among U.S. lawmakers persists.
The controversy is not new. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump sought to force TikTok to sell its U.S. operations to an American company, naming Oracle and Walmart as potential buyers. However, the deal fell through, and Trump’s ban faced legal hurdles.
Most recently, President-elect Trump has expressed interest in delaying the imminent Supreme Court decision on TikTok’s future to explore alternative resolutions.
TikTok Denies Sale Rumors
TikTok has dismissed Bloomberg’s report, categorizing it as unfounded speculation. In a statement to Variety, the company said, “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.”
What’s Next?
As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise, TikTok remains a flashpoint in broader geopolitical disputes. Whether Beijing would truly consider a sale to Musk—or any other U.S.-based buyer—remains uncertain. For now, TikTok users and its competitors are left to watch and wait.
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Classic dispute between free speech and national security/indoctrination of kids. After serious thought, I lean toward free speech and proper parenting. What do you think?