Elon Musk recently clarified his position on a topic that has fueled speculation: the potential purchase of TikTok, the short-video app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. In several public statements, the Tesla and SpaceX boss has denied any intention of buying the platform, saying that it was “neither a project nor a personal interest.”
TikTok still under pressure
For several years, TikTok has been in the sights of the American authorities, who fear possible interference from the Chinese government via ByteDance. The major concern lies in Chinese laws that could force the company to share sensitive data with Beijing. Faced with these suspicions, voices are regularly raised to demand the sale of TikTok's American assets under penalty of an outright ban on the territory.
These tensions reflect a climate of persistent mistrust between Washington and Beijing, and TikTok is often held hostage in this geopolitical standoff. ByteDance, for its part, has multiplied initiatives to reassure the American authorities, going so far as to consider a partial separation of its activities in the United States.
Elon Musk: rare and strategic acquisitions
Unlike some of his counterparts in Silicon Valley, Elon Musk has never been a big fan of acquisitions. Twitter, which has since become X, is the notable exception in his entrepreneurial career. The acquisition, which Musk says is motivated by a desire to protect free speech, illustrates a different strategy: building companies from scratch rather than acquiring existing companies.
Asked about the possibility of taking an interest in TikTok, Musk cut short: he almost never uses the app and says he is unfamiliar with its format. This answer definitively rules out the prospect of a takeover, while other tech players could be more interested.
Trump’s return to the debate
Donald Trump has never hidden his dissatisfaction with TikTok. During his presidency, he tried to ban the app, citing the same national security concerns. While his attempts were unsuccessful, Trump seems to have softened his rhetoric slightly in recent months. He has publicly acknowledged TikTok's impact on younger generations, highlighting its role in recent electoral dynamics.
There are even rumors of a possible acquisition by American players. Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, is sometimes mentioned as a potential candidate, without official confirmation.
ByteDance: a circumvention strategy
Faced with threats of a ban, ByteDance is organizing itself. The company is said to have implemented alternative solutions, including allowing Android users to download the application directly from its own servers, thus bypassing official platforms such as Google Play.
TikTok currently has around 170 million users in the United States, a crucial market that ByteDance does not intend to give up without a fight. Despite the uncertainties, the application remains a unavoidable power in the social media ecosystem.
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