Social media platform TikTok has refuted reports that China is exploring selling the app's US operations to Elon Musk, calling the claims "pure fantasy."

The rumors came from A Bloomberg a report Which suggests that Chinese officials were evaluating Musk's acquisition of TikTok's US assets to circumvent a potential ban under US legislation set to take effect on January 19.

The report, which cited anonymous sources, claims that Musk's history of successful business dealings in China and his relationship with Beijing make him a suitable candidate for such a deal.

“We can't be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson said. diverse.

The US government has raised concerns about TikTok's Chinese ownership, citing national security risks. Lawmakers said they feared the app could lead to data misuse, surveillance or propaganda.

Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Censored Apps from Foreign Adversaries Act last year, requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest its stake in TikTok or face a nationwide ban.

TikTok appealed the law to the Supreme Court, citing how the ban violated the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users.

On January 10, the Supreme Court heard TikTok's emergency appeal, but appeared more receptive to the government's position.

If the ban holds, Apple, Google and web hosting providers should block TikTok's distribution in the US unless ByteDance complies with the law.

Musk, misinformation and crypto relationships

Speculation linking Musk to the TikTok acquisition has sparked discussions about his influence in technology and politics.

since acquisition X, formerly Twitter, in 2022 for $44 billion Musk has used the platform to influence public sentiment, including in the political and cryptocurrency areas.

Notably, his tweets and endorsements have fueled sentiment around cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin (DOGE)which saw significant price spikes linked to his comments.

During the 2024 presidential election, Musk's posts reportedly promoted misinformation about the election, with A.J Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) a report He flagged at least 87 of his posts as false or misleading.

Musk's association with President-elect Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the 2024 elections, has also raised concerns.

The billionaire used Twitter to share Trump campaign narratives and also led the campaign Dogecoin price To A The highest level in three years When Musk raised the creation of a Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the president-elect.

TikTok's fate hangs in the balance as the ban deadline approaches. For now, the platform continues its fight to maintain access for millions of American users.

Modified by Stacey Elliott.