US TikTok ban: Chinese officials weigh Elon Musk buying platform as shutdown looms

Chinese officials are exploring an option for Elon Musk to take over TikTok if the popular social media company fails to avoid a ban in the US, Bloomberg reports. While Chinese officials would reportedly prefer to keep TikTok in the hands of parent company ByteDance, senior government officials have already begun discussing contingency plans for TikTok and how to work with the incoming Donald Trump administration.

Notably, TikTok has appealed the impending ban in the US to the Supreme Court, but the justices have shown an inclination to uphold the law, which would force the company to be sold or face a ban in the country by January 19.