TikTok has called a report that China is considering allowing the sale of the company’s US communications operations to Elon Musk “pure fiction.”
The company’s comments came in response to a Bloomberg report that Chinese officials are considering an option that could see its American business sold to the world’s richest man if the US Supreme Court upholds a ban on the app.
Supreme Court justices must rule on the law that sets a January 19 deadline for TikTok to sell its US operations or face a ban from the country.
TikTok has repeatedly said it will not sell its operations in the US.
“We cannot be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson told BBC News.
Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that a possible scenario being considered by Chinese officials would see Musk X’s social network control TikTok’s operations in the US.
UX did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
Musk is a close friend of US president-elect Donald Trumpexpected to return to the White House on January 20.
Last month, Trump appealed to the Supreme Court delaying its decision until he takes office so that he can get a “political decision”.
His lawyer filed a legal document with the court saying that Trump “opposes the blocking of TikTok” and “seeks the power to solve existing problems through political means once he takes office”.
That came a week after Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
On Monday, two Democratic lawmakers, Senator Edward Markey and Representative Ro Khanna, again asked Congress and President Joe Biden to extend the January 19 deadline.
During the Supreme Court hearing last week, the judges appeared inclined to respect the law and stick to the deadline.
During nearly three hours of deliberations, the nine justices returned repeatedly to the national security concerns that gave rise to the law.
The Biden administration pointed out that apart from sales, TikTok could be used by China as a tool for political surveillance and manipulation.
The company has repeatedly denied any influence from the Chinese Communist Party and said the US ban violates the First Amendment free speech rights of its users.
Source link
