Amid rumors of a possible sale of TikTok's American unit to Elon Musk, the company said that these reports are unfounded. A representative of the social network called them «pure fiction», refusing to comment on further speculation.
TikTok is under the threat of a ban in the US
The popular app, used by about 170 million Americans, may be banned in the United States as early as January 19. The country's Supreme Court is considering a law that would oblige ByteDance's parent company to either sell the American segment of the business or completely cease its operations in the US.
This issue has become even more important after President-elect Donald Trump's announcement. He asked the court to postpone the ruling until his inauguration on January 20. Trump intends to use the additional time to find alternative solutions that will allow him to maintain access to the app in the country.
Nevertheless, it is not yet known whether the Supreme Court will support this initiative.
National security issues
The TikTok case is part of Washington's long-term struggle with the app, which is seen as a national security threat due to its ties to China. The US authorities have expressed concern about the Chinese government's potential access to user data.
In addition, TikTok's algorithms that generate the user's feed may be subject to influence by the Chinese authorities to distribute certain content. ByteDance denies the possibility of such manipulations, claiming that user data is securely protected.
TikTok's position
Despite the pressure from the United States, TikTok continues to state that all accusations against the company are groundless. The recent rumors that Elon Musk could become a potential buyer of the American division have also been categorically denied.
Conclusion
Amidst legal and political battles, TikTok remains in the center of attention of the global community. The future of the app in the United States will depend on the decisions of the Supreme Court and the position of the new American leadership. The near future will show whether the company will be able to withstand the pressure or whether it will have to look for compromises.