Sunday January 19 could well mark the end of TikTok in the United States. A long-planned ban, which could well be circumvented by none other than Elon Musk, the richest man on the planet.
The digital landscape of the United States may soon experience an earthquake. And for good reason, the famous TikTok application, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could be banned in the United States from January 19, 2025.
The ban follows the adoption last year of a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19, 2025, or face a ban in the country. Bad news for the 170 million users scattered across the country’s 50 states. However, a major figure in the world of tech, Elon Musk, could once again turn everything upside down.
Time is running out for TikTok
TikTok scares the American authorities. The famous social network, launched in 2016 and with nearly 2 billion users in 2024 (according to Statista), appears to be a threat to the security of the United States. Because it is owned by a Chinese company, American user data could increase the risks of espionage and manipulation.
This Friday, January 10, the American Supreme Court heard ByteDance’s arguments. The parent company of TikTok as well as several organizations defending freedom of expression had denounced the undemocratic nature of the law. According to them, banning the social network would contradict the First Amendment of the American Constitution, supposed to guarantee freedom of expression. ByteDance had also repeatedly stated that it had not transmitted any information to the Chinese government.
Despite ByteDance’s defense, the nine judges constituting the Supreme Court tended towards a ban on TikTok as of January 19. A decision that Donald Trump strongly disapproves of, who asked for a delay to negotiate a solution. The Republican, who will officially replace Joe Biden on January 20, is pleading for TikTok to remain in the United States: a change of thinking which can be explained by its growing popularity on the platform.
Towards a new rise to power for Musk?
Despite the imminent end of TikTok in the United States, a small glimmer of hope still flickers. ByteDance can still save its application by selling it to none other than Elon Musk. After buying Twitter for the modest sum of $44 billion in 2022, Donald Trump’s acolyte is reportedly in discussions to acquire TikTok, for a price of around $50 billion. A rumor spread by the media Bloomberg but refuted by the main interested party, ByteDance: “We cannot be expected to comment on pure fiction”a Tiktok spokesperson simply replied to AFP.
By going under the American flag, TikTok would escape its fate and continue to function for its hundreds of millions of American users. Now supported by Donald Trump, could the application come under the direction of his great multi-billionaire friend? The new minister of government efficiency, who will take office in less than a week, would gain even more power with the takeover of TikTok.
The acquisition of TikTok would once again revive the tough competition between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberganother tech giant at the head of Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp…). The two men, who have both pledged allegiance to the next president of the United States, could begin a new chapter in their history.