Elon Musk has denied plans to acquire TikTok, stating he doesn’t have any intentions of buying the app despite a US law requiring ByteDance, its Chinese owner, to sell or face a ban from US app stores.
The law, signed by former President Joe Biden last year, aims to address security concerns over TikTok’s Chinese ownership. The Supreme Court upheld the law in January, giving ByteDance 75 more days to find a buyer.
Several investors have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok, including Kevin O’Leary and Frank McCourt. Some speculated that Musk might also consider acquiring the app, given his recent purchase of Twitter. However, Musk said he only sees monetary reasons for buying TikTok, unlike when he acquired Twitter due to concerns about preserving freedom of speech.
Musk stated that he usually builds companies from scratch, not just acquires them for economic gain. Lawyers for TikTok argued at the Supreme Court that banning the app would infringe on users’ right to free speech. With ByteDance indicating no plans to sell, TikTok’s fate in the US hangs in the balance, potentially going dark by April if no buyer is found.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tiktok-purchase-twitter-x-social-media-2025-2