Microsoft deal raises big questions about TikTok’s future in Europe

Microsoft deal raises big questions about TikTok’s future in Europe

Questions are being asked about TikTok's future in Europe after Microsoft confirmed Sunday it is in discussions to buy TikTok in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

TikTok parent company ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing, is being forced to consider a sale after President Donald Trump said he intends to ban the video sharing app in the U.S. over fears that it could share data with the Chinese government. TikTok has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Microsoft said in a statement that it will keep working with the U.S. government on a deal and that it intends to conclude talks by September 15. It's unclear how much Microsoft is prepared to pay and TikTok declined to comment on the discussions.

If the deal were to go through, would ByteDance be able to continue operating TikTok across Europe? Michael Norris, a research and strategy manager at Shanghai-based consultancy AgencyChina, thinks so. "TikTok's business in Europe doesn't appear to be on the table," he told CNBC Monday. "At this stage, it looks like ByteDance is confident in TikTok's ability to operate in European markets."

If the deal goes through, Microsoft would operate TikTok in four countries while ByteDance would operate it in over 100 other