A viral rumor spreading across social media is claiming that Disney bought TikTok for $100 billion. But is this true?
On December 7, a news article from Mouse Trap News claimed that Disney had bought TikTok for $100 billion. The story, published on their official website and Instagram page, stated, “This comes only a day after the court ruled that TikTok needed to be bought by a company in the US or banned permanently.”
According to the article, Disney’s purchase of TikTok ensured that the platform would no longer face the threat of a ban in the United States. The report also noted that this would be Disney’s largest deal ever, surpassing their $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019.
The article further suggested that Disney made this massive acquisition to “increase their ever-expanding portfolio of companies and promote their propaganda.”
The outlet also detailed the company’s alleged plans for the app, stating: “They will roll out a paid subscription service like Disney+ where people can pay to watch ad-free content.”
Mouse Trap News further claimed that if someone were to die in a Disney theme park while using the short video platform, the Walt Disney Company would not be held liable.
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Did Disney really buy TikTok?
However, this report is entirely fabricated. At the end of the Mouse Trap News article, the outlet invites readers to follow them on social media for “more very real Disney news like this totally made-up story.”
According to their ‘About’ page, “Mouse Trap News is the world’s best satire and parody site.” This confirms that Disney did not buy TikTok for $100 billion.
To make the hoax appear more believable, the outlet included Disney CEO Bob Iger in their Instagram post about the fictitious deal. However, it’s important to note that Iger made no such announcements recently, and Disney has not released any official statements related to TikTok.
Mouse Trap News openly states their mission on their website: “We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be assured that anything you read here is not true, real, or accurate, but it is fun.”
This is just one of many fake stories that have gone viral on TikTok, alongside hoaxes like the ‘zombies in China‘ rumor and the fabricated Fox News story about the non-existent ‘Porcelain Challenge.’
