{"id":102700,"date":"2025-01-16T16:35:29","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T16:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/?p=102700"},"modified":"2025-01-16T16:35:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T16:35:34","slug":"could-elon-musk-purchase-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/could-elon-musk-purchase-tiktok\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Elon Musk purchase TikTok?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Image credit: Daniel Oberhaus<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As TikTok faces being booted from the United States, a purchase by Elon Musk is a rumoured solution to keep the app running in the states.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Supreme Court has given TikTok a deadline<\/a> of the 19th of January to either sell its business or face a ban in the United States. No decision has been made, but ByteDance – the Chinese parent company of TikTok<\/a> – is in the process of discussions to decide what to do about the ultimatum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reports suggest that Elon Musk is possibly in line to buy out TikTok’s American operations. Musk’s ownership of the hugely popular social app would be a very big deal. Musk is both the owner of X, one of the world’s largest social media platforms, and serving as a top adviser to Donald Trump, who will take the Presidency on the 20th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musk’s dual-ownership of two of the most significant social platforms in the U.S. would raise serious questions over a monopoly. As such, the likelihood of Musk buying out TikTok seems unlikely to be allowed, even if the rumours are true and the deal is attempted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ByteDance refute the rumours of a Musk buyout for TikTok’s American business. When asked to comment<\/a>, they responded: “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TikTok faces a ban in the U.S. because of its Chinese ownership. The U.S. Congress passed a bill to ban the platform if it didn’t find a new owner, citing national security concerns. TikTok and their parent ByteDance have pushed back against claims and are currently challenging the bill to ban TikTok in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TikTok’s future in the U.S. may not be so inevitably final. President-elect Donald Trump has expressed support for the platform and seeks to delay the ban. Despite trying to ban the app himself in 2020<\/a>, he said during his election campaign: “For all of those who want to save TikTok in America, vote Trump.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trump seeks more time to negotiate US TikTok ban<\/a><\/blockquote>