TikTok CEO seeks counsel from Elon Musk

The owner of X and the CEO of TikTok walked into a bar… OK, they may not have entered a bar, but this isn't a joke either: Elon Musk and Shou Chew have been talking to each other recently.

TikTok's CEO (that's Shou Chew, in case you're not following things closely) has sought insights from Elon Musk, The Wall Street Journal reports. Apart from being experienced in running social media platforms, Elon is a key confidant of President-elect Donald Trump. TikTok could be soon banned in the US, so Chew is trying to navigate the unknown waters ahead.

According to sources familiar with the situation, Shou Chew initiated communications with Musk in recent weeks.

TikTok's CEO, who has known Musk for several years, reportedly sought Musk’s opinions on issues such as the incoming administration and tech policy trends. While specific strategies to maintain TikTok’s operations in the US were not discussed, Chew has kept ByteDance’s senior leadership informed of the interactions. Sources indicate ByteDance executives are cautiously optimistic about potential solutions emerging from these efforts.

Musk’s unique access to President-elect Trump has made him a sought-after advisor for business leaders. Since the election, he has stayed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and played a central role in the administration’s transition discussions.

As you know, TikTok’s challenges stem from a law signed by Biden that mandates ByteDance to divest its US operations by mid-January 2025 or face a ban. ByteDance has rejected the idea of selling TikTok and is focusing its efforts on a federal lawsuit challenging the legislation, arguing that it violates users’ free speech rights.

Proponents of the law claim it is necessary to prevent alleged spying on Americans and to limit potential influence by the Chinese government on TikTok’s content. TikTok, however, has stated that it would not comply with any such demands from Beijing.

Before the election, ByteDance executives reportedly met with individuals aligned with both Trump and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris, preparing for various political outcomes.

What do you think the outcome will look like? Personally, I think the chance of ByteDance selling TikTok to a US-based company is extremely minimal.