TikTok is one of the most popular social media services in the world. In 2021, Cloudflare ranked TikTok as the most popular website, even surpassing Google. In 2020, it surpassed two billion mobile downloads worldwide.
The short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance is a force to contend with. In 2020, former US president Donald Trump warned that he would ban the app unless its US operation is bought by an American firm. The social media giant is seen as a risk to the country's national security.
But how did TikTok grow so popular? How did it become the social media giant that it is now? What contributed to its fast-rising popularity? Here are the five things you didn't know about the history of TikTok.
1. TikTok Started as Three Different Apps
TikTok originated from two apps before it became TikTok. The first app was Musical.ly. It is an app that was launched in Shanghai in 2014. However, the app was found to have strong US business links.
Two years later, in 2016, Chinese tech company ByteDance launched Douyin in China. According to BBC, the app immediately got the attention of 100 million users in China and Thailand in a span of one year.
Later on, ByteDance decided to expand under a different brand, thus, the beginning of TikTok. In 2018, the company decided to buy Musical.ly, folded it in, and started the global expansion of TikTok.
2. TikTok is Banned in India
TikTok enjoyed massive popularity in India when it was launched in September 2016. However, the Indian government permanently banned the app in the country in August 2020 because of public safety issues.
TikTok was initially banned in India in April 2019 because of claims that it was being used to spread pornography, according to Startup Talky. There was a court order mandating its removal from app stores. However, that decision was overturned on appeal. But the following year, it was permanently banned from the country.
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3. TikTok is a Platform for People Under 25
According to BBC, while apps like Twitter and Instagram are seen as a platform for older users, TikTok is considered a "meeting place" for those under-25s. In fact, according to Startup Talky, 60 percent of TikTok users are aged 16-24.
In the US, the possibility of banning the app means a great loss for the young people who are using TikTok in order for their voices to be heard. As news of the possible banning of the app surface, downloads of other app rivals such as Byte and Triller have increased.
4. TikTok has a Huge User Base in the US
With more than 3.5 billion downloads all over the world, TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps, according to Investopedia. It can be accessed in more than 150 markets and in over 35 languages.
One of the notable facts about it is 56 percent of its users are female, and its users spend an average of 46 minutes per day on the app. Of the 3.5 billion users of TikTok, 136 million of its active users are from the US.
5. Some American Companies Actually Own Part of TikTok
ByteDance, a Chinese technology company, owns the majority of TikTok. But due to pressure from Trump, the Chinese company agreed to create a new company, TikTok Global, in late 2020. While ByteDance continues to own 80% of TikTok Global, Oracle and Walmart serve as minority owners and US partners.
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