Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
In this photo illustration a smartphone screen displays the logo of social media app TikTok besides (L) the logo of US online social media and social networking site 'X' (formerly known as Twitter) and (R) the logo for Facebook, on December 31, 2024 in Bath, England. On middle row left to right, the logo of social media platform Threads in seen besides that for Bluesky which is next to the messaging service WhatsApp. Along the bottom row, left to right, is the logo for online video sharing and social media platform YouTube, the logo of Donald Trump's Truth Social app and the logo for Instagram. The US Congress voted to ban TikTok unless owner ByteDance sells the app to an American owner by January 19 2025. However, President-elect Donald Trump has now urged the US supreme court to pause implementation of the law that would ban the popular Chinese social media app until after he takes office. (Photo Illustration by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
Photo Illustration by Anna Barclay/Getty Images

‘We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction’: Elon Musk, Mr. Beast, and all the potential buyers of TikTok explored

The mystery of how will TikTok be saved continues

The TikTok ban is fast approaching and is expected to go into full effect on Jan. 19, 2025. While there’s ongoing debate about whether the incoming Trump administration can reverse it, uncertainty remains about what the ban even entails. However, according to NPR, there is an apparent loophole to save TikTok: if the platform sells off its U.S. operations, it could live to see another day. Consequently, names like Elon Musk and Mr. Beast have been floated as potential buyers who might make the deal happen.

Recommended Videos

In the mid-2010s, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even Snapchat coexisted, each occupying a slightly different niche. For a brief moment, it seemed Silicon Valley had cracked the code of social media harmony. Then TikTok arrived, disrupting the landscape in a way no competitor could replicate. But the app’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party through its parent company ByteDance raised national security concerns, leading the U.S. government to pursue a ban to protect citizens from potential data mining by a foreign state.

Recently, Bloomberg reported that ByteDance is considering relinquishing its U.S. operations to Elon Musk. However, TikTok representatives immediately shut down the notion, telling Variety in a brief statement: “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.” Musk, known for his frequent and candid social media activity, has remained silent on the matter.

Another obvious contender would be Mark Zuckerberg, but this also seems unlikely. Meta, Zuckerberg’s company, stands to benefit the most in TikTok’s absence. In fact, according to Business Insider, Meta was behind efforts to tarnish TikTok’s reputation through a Republican consulting firm that pushed narratives about the platform being harmful to children and teens. Despite past warnings from figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene about Zuckerberg potentially buying TikTok, such a move seems improbable given Meta’s vested interest in TikTok’s downfall.

However, recent comments on Joe Rogan’s podcast suggest that Zuckerberg may lean even further to the right by removing all safeguards on his platforms. This raises questions about how he plans to make his apps safe for younger Americans or differentiate them from TikTok. But I digress.

The final name being thrown around is Mr. Beast, who recently posted on X expressing his willingness to buy TikTok if no one else does. However, with TikTok allegedly valued between $20 billion and $50 billion, even if Mr. Beast liquidated his entire net worth and secured generous financing, such a purchase seems highly unlikely.

As things stand, there are no clear candidates or visible pathways to preserve TikTok’s usability in America. Americans love the app, with an entire generation viewing it as their primary platform for self-expression — something the toxicity of X or the artificiality of Instagram cannot replicate. Hopefully, a resolution can be reached soon.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Fred Onyango
Fred Onyango
Fred Onyango is an entertainment journalist who primarily focuses on the intersection of entertainment, society, and politics. He has been writing about the entertainment industry for five years, covering celebrity, music, and film through the lens of their impact on society and politics. He has reported from the London Film Festival and was among the first African entertainment journalists invited to cover the Sundance Film Festival. Fun fact—Fred is also a trained pilot.