(Seriously.) So why not have Elon Musk swoop in with a deal to buy TikTok from ByteDance, the Chinese company that currently owns it, to get around a law that's meant to ban the service on January 19? That's what Chinese government officials are pondering ...

The Tesla CEO should be focused on his EV business at a time when the automotive landscape is rapidly evolving. Investors also don’t need another distraction.

Chinese officials are reportedly exploring a backup plan for TikTok after the Supreme Court appeared unlikely to save it from a US ban. With TikTok’s legal options nearly exhausted, multiple news outlets are reporting that China is considering an option it previously said it wouldn’t: letting ByteDance sell the app.