Rumors of Musk acquiring TikTok show up as supreme court reviews impending ban

(MENAFN) Speculation swirled Monday about the possibility of Elon Musk acquiring TikTok’s US operations, but a representative for TikTok dismissed the claims as "pure fiction."

Bloomberg reported that Chinese officials were exploring the idea of Musk purchasing TikTok to avert an upcoming US ban, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions. However, the publication noted that Beijing prefers TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to retain ownership while it challenges the ban in the US Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court held oral arguments on Friday to deliberate TikTok's future in the United States. Lawyers for the Biden administration reiterated their stance, emphasizing that ByteDance's Chinese ownership poses a "grave" national security threat to American users.

As the hearing concluded, the Court's next steps remained uncertain. A decision or order is anticipated before the January 19 deadline, when the ban is set to take effect.

As rumors circulated Monday that China was looking to have the owner of X purchase TikTok, a representative for the latter said it was "pure fiction."

Bloomberg reported on Monday that Chinese officials were looking at an option involving Musk acquiring TikTok’s US operations ahead of a ban of the platform in the US, "according to people familiar with the matter."

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