China considers selling TikTok U.S. operations to Elon Musk amid potential ban

Chinese officials are reportedly exploring the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk if the platform fails to avoid a proposed ban by U.S. authorities.

According to a Bloomberg report, while officials prefer to keep TikTok under parent company ByteDance Ltd., contingency discussions are underway as the Supreme Court deadline looms.

The U.S. Supreme Court has given ByteDance until January 19 to either sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a potential ban over national security concerns. The platform, used by approximately 170 million Americans, has been under scrutiny for allegedly collecting U.S. user data and undermining national security.

Speculation over a ban has intensified as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, with his administration expected to adopt a stricter stance on China. TikTok’s parent company has contested the proposed ban in court, but recent developments indicate judges may uphold the decision.

A potential TikTok sale to Musk could align the platform’s operations with his ownership style, seen in his 2023 acquisition and rebranding of Twitter as “X.” The sale could also create opportunities for U.S. competitors like Meta’s Instagram and Alphabet’s YouTube, which have launched short-video platforms to counter TikTok’s dominance.

With U.S. lawmakers voting in favor of the ban last year, the outcome could reshape the social media landscape, affecting millions of users and the industry at large.