Billionaire Elon Musk Denies Interest in Purchasing TikTok
Elon Musk, known for his ventures in Tesla and SpaceX, has clarified that he has no interest in acquiring TikTok, the popular short-video platform.
In a virtual interview at the summit hosted by The WELT Group, Musk stated, "I have not put in a bid for TikTok." This announcement comes after US President Donald Trump expressed openness to Musk's purchase of the ByteDance-owned app.
Musk emphasized that he has no specific plans for TikTok even if he were to acquire it. He also revealed that he does not use the app himself and is unfamiliar with its format.
Musk added, "I don't have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok," distancing himself from the speculation surrounding his potential interest in the platform.
The Republican president had previously issued an executive order delaying the ban on TikTok, which was set to take effect on January 19. ByteDance was given a deadline to divest the app's US assets or face a US ban over national security concerns.
TikTok has consistently denied any sharing of US user data with China.
Despite the US law prohibiting TikTok from being available in app stores, the company has found a workaround by allowing Android users to download and connect to the app through its website.
Trump has indicated ongoing discussions with multiple parties regarding the future of TikTok, aiming to reach a decision this month. However, ByteDance has repeatedly denied plans to sell the platform.
Trump's shift in stance towards TikTok marks a departure from his previous attempts to ban the app. He has recently expressed a fondness for TikTok, crediting it for his popularity among young voters in the 2020 presidential election.
Neither ByteDance nor TikTok has provided immediate comment outside of regular business hours.