Elon Musk has firmly denied recent speculation regarding his interest in acquiring TikTok, dismissing comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump. During a January conference hosted by Germany’s WELT Group, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX clarified that he had not made any bids for the popular short-video app. Musk explained, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok,” adding that he does not use the platform and is not familiar with its format. He further emphasized, “I’m not chomping at the bit to acquire TikTok,” highlighting his general reluctance to acquire companies. Musk noted that his $44 billion purchase of Twitter (now X) was an exception to his usual preference for building companies from scratch.
TikTok, owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, has been facing increasing scrutiny in the United States due to concerns over national security, with fears that the Chinese government may gain access to sensitive American user data. These concerns led to proposed legislation earlier this year, which could force ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban. While ByteDance has consistently denied allegations of improper data access, the platform has already experienced restrictions, including the removal of TikTok from major app stores by Apple and Google under the new U.S. law. In response, TikTok has allowed Android users in the U.S. to download the app directly from its website.
The controversy surrounding TikTok’s future escalated further when Trump, who had attempted to ban the app during his presidency, signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban. Trump also suggested that a newly created sovereign wealth fund could potentially acquire TikTok. He has been in talks with several parties about the app’s potential sale, with plans to make a decision this month. Despite these discussions, ByteDance has reiterated that it has no plans to sell TikTok.
Currently, the platform boasts approximately 170 million American users, and Trump has credited TikTok with playing a significant role in engaging young voters in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Recent Random Post:
