Axel Springer signals interest in potential European TikTok separation deal
European scrutiny of TikTok's ownership structure remains in focus as debate continues over how the platform should operate outside Chinese control. Axel Springer said it would welcome any initiative to separate TikTok's European business from ByteDance, aligning such a move with the model used for the app's U.S. operations.
Highlights
- Axel Springer's CEO Mathias Doepfner expressed interest in participating in a potential deal for TikTok's European operations, as reported by the Financial Times.
- Doepfner supports a European solution for TikTok, modeled on ByteDance's January transfer of U.S. app control to an American-owned joint venture to avert a ban.
- In May, Doepfner called TikTok a dangerous propaganda machine and advocated for forced divestment to non-Chinese owners in Europe, echoing U.S. regulatory actions.
European ownership proposal gains attention
As reported by Reuters, Axel Springer made the comment on Thursday in response to a Financial Times report that linked the German media group to a possible deal for TikTok's European operations.The report said Chief Executive and co-owner Mathias Doepfner raised the idea during a January lunch with U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, suggesting Axel Springer could take part in a transaction involving TikTok's European business.
A spokesperson for the company said Doepfner has consistently supported a European solution for TikTok based on the American model. The spokesperson added that, if such a solution had materialized, Axel Springer would have welcomed the chance to participate as a major European media player.
U.S. precedent shapes the debate in Europe
TikTok owner ByteDance finalized a deal in January to transfer control of the app's U.S. operations to an American-owned joint venture. The move aimed to prevent a U.S. ban on the short-video platform and address security concerns from U.S. politicians over Chinese ownership.Doepfner has repeatedly criticized TikTok, including in a May speech at the World Jewish Congress in Geneva, where he described the platform as a dangerous propaganda machine that amplifies extremist content. At that time, he said Europe should follow the U.S. example and require TikTok to be sold to non-Chinese owners.
Our earlier article on TikTok’s Digital Markets Act gatekeeper challenge explained that a legal opinion from the EU’s top court adviser supported the European Commission’s decision to label TikTok a gatekeeper. We noted that this recommendation increases pressure on ByteDance ahead of a final ruling, potentially forcing the platform to comply with stricter obligations across the bloc.
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