(NewsNation) — TikTok denied a report that Chinese officials are considering selling the platform to Elon Musk ahead of a potential U.S. ban Sunday, calling the report “pure fiction.”
“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement, reported by NewsNation affiliate “The Hill.”
The U.S. Supreme Court this week will decide whether to all a ban on the widely used video sharing app.
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The app, which is owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance and known for its viral videos, trending dances and widespread memes, currently has more than 170 million users in the United States.
President Joe Biden signed legislation last April requiring TikTok to be owned by an American company by Jan. 19, 2025. Proponents of the ban cite “national security” risks and data privacy as reasons for the shutdown, including former President Donald Trump, who tried to issue the first TikTok ban back in 2020.
The platform’s fate is up to the Supreme Court. Its decision could put an end to limitless scrolling by Sunday unless ByteDance sells the social media platform in time.
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
