Elon Musk addresses claims he will buy TikTok: 'If I were the owner of TikTok...'
It has been suggested that US tech billionaire Elon Musk wants to buy TikTok. Speaking about whether he has any plans regarding TikTok, Musk clarified the claims that he would purchase the Chinese social media app.
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It was claimed that the China-based TikTok would be banned in the US if it were not sold to an American firm. Donald Trump temporarily lifted the ban on TikTok, which had been subject to a prohibition order, after taking office as President. Following these developments, Elon Musk, who was rumored to be buying TikTok, responded to the gossip that he would purchase the Chinese company.
The YouTube channel Welt Documentary released a video of the WELT Economic Summit session that Musk attended on January 28. In the session, which he joined online, Musk made statements regarding TikTok, the video-sharing app whose status in the US remains uncertain amid the ban process.
Stating that he is not interested in buying TikTok, Musk said the following:
'I have not made an offer for TikTok. I also don't have a plan for what I would do if I were the owner. I think if I were the owner, I would determine how harmful or beneficial the algorithm is. I would look for ways to change it to make it more beneficial and efficient.'
Following the ban on TikTok, Americans showed intense interest in RedNote, another Chinese social media app. The US-based news agency Associated Press (AP) wrote that RedNote became as popular as TikTok in a short time.
THE TIKTOK BAN IN THE US
TikTok was shut down in the US on January 19 in accordance with a law stipulating that it would be banned if not sold to an American firm. The social media app was reopened on the same day by Trump's decision. In addition to TikTok, access to CapCut was also blocked for US users.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order instructing that the implementation of this law be suspended for 75 days. Emphasizing that there would be many investors or companies bidding for the sale of TikTok due to the interest in the app, Trump stated on January 28 that he wanted to witness a bidding war at this stage.
Trump noted that he is not in favor of banning TikTok but wants 50 percent of it to be transferred to a US company for the ban to be lifted, stating:
''We have the right to sell or shut down TikTok. We will decide on this. China's approval is also required, but I am sure they will give it. If they don't, we will impose tariffs on China.''
On the other hand, the Trump administration needs to find a solution to the data security concerns that are the reason for the decision in order to prevent the popular social media app from being shut down. Since TikTok's parent company ByteDance is a firm registered in China, it is required by law to share user data with the state when necessary.