Social networks –
China is exploring the possibility of selling TikTok to Elon Musk
Just before the Chinese application was banned in the United States, the shadow of the billionaire looms over the American branch of the platform.
Published today at 1:10 p.m.
Soon, the lights out of TikTok in the USA? China’s influence should be reduced by banning the social network.
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- TikTok will be banned in the United States from January 19, in an effort to reduce China’s influence and alleviate suspicions of espionage.
- But China is now studying the possibility of selling its American activities to Elon Musk’s X platform.
- YouTube and Instagram expect an increase in their users if the social network is banned.
- TikTok will remain available in Europe, although it may lack content from the United States.
Will TikTok really be banned?
The United States adopted the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” in 2024, forcing Chinese entertainment giant ByteDance to sell the application by January 19, or risk being banned. This prohibition was also started by the first Trump government in 2020.
Trump, a star on TikTok
In the context of the trade war with China, the administration of 47e American president had already declared war on TikTok, accusing it of espionage. But it was during the Biden era that the ban came to fruition. The current occupant of the White House signed the law which obliges the parent company of TikTok to sell its media in the United States.
Why could the social network soon be banned?
The idea behind this censorship is to limit China’s influence and better protect the data of the American population. Washington fears increased surveillance of the application, which attacks young people and represents a dangerous model in terms of influence.
How will this ban actually apply?
Verdict on January 19. TikTok will play its fair game before the Supreme Court. We can imagine that the application will disappear from the Google and Apple App Stores, but that it will continue to work for a while on smartphones on which it is already installed. But it could also be that everything is disabled.
What would be the consequences of such a prohibition?
TikTok has established itself as the fastest growing favorite social network among young people. Its competitors, like YouTube, Snapchat or Instagram, are already rubbing their hands with this announcement and hoping to gain a significant influx of users.
What are the repercussions in Europe and Switzerland?
There will be some. Unless the app is sold in the United States, nothing should change here, at least for now. But since the majority of content comes from the United States, a substantial portion is expected to disappear here too. In addition, European influencers are expected to lose their impact, as their audience is also very American. Many are already turning to Instagram, Snapchat or YouTube.
Is TikTok in real danger?
“Pure fiction”, according to TikTok, or real danger? Elon Musk shows with X how it is possible to influence politics and public opinion with a social network, without forgetting the collection of data. But what has certainly caused unease across the Atlantic is the fact that TikTok, a non-American platform, is enjoying dazzling success on a global scale.
Does Trump still see things the same way he did in 2020?
The ban is due to take effect on January 19, while Donald Trump takes over the reins of government on January 20. TikTok hoped that the debate would have waited until the Republican president came to power. Once a staunch supporter of TikTok censorship, Trump has morphed into a staunch defender. A turnaround due to its influence on the Chinese social network – and the discreet lobbying of a billionaire. It is also unlikely that President Biden will make a last-minute decision. Could Trump lift the ban? He certainly exercises a strong influence on the Chinese social network, but he should think twice before turning around. He is perfectly aware that, just after his inauguration, the gesture would be strong. All pleas in favor of freedom of expression are welcome.
Couldn’t an American company buy TikTok’s American subsidiary?
That would indeed have been an option. But time is running out. In addition, it is not certain that the option will appeal to TikTok or ByteDance, who are hoping that Trump will come to their aid. Various companies, such as Oracle or even Microsoft, have expressed interest in the past. There is also a lot of speculation about the name of Elon Musk, who could buy TikTok after Twitter. “Pure fiction” or preferred track?
Until yesterday, we did not take seriously the fact that the richest man in the world could buy TikTok US and thus save him from banishment. Bloomberg now announces that the Chinese government is taking a closer look at a sale to the boss of Tesla, and therefore to his platform X. The tech billionaire could take control of TikTok and then operate the two service providers together. It has good relations with China and Tesla was the first foreign automaker to be allowed to build its own factory there. For its part, the Middle Kingdom hopes to benefit from the influence that Elon Musk exercises over Donald Trump.
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