Over 170 million Americans enjoy using TikTok. For some, it’s a fun and cheerful social media app. For some, it’s a business. Since its popularity soared during the pandemic, TikTok has made a significant mark on American culture – serving as a search engine, a community hub, and a platform for launching careers.
After Biden signed a sell-or-ban bill into law in late April, the future of the popular app is a bit uncertain. Some critics are expressing concerns that the measure could pose a threat to free speech, while supporters believe it serves the purpose of national security.
Do you know who owns TikTok?
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a global company that was founded by some talented Chinese entrepreneurs. Hey there! So, TikTok shares that roughly 60% of the parent company is held by global institutional investors, while 20% is owned by the founders and another 20% by the employees. Pretty interesting, right? The app’s CEO is Shou Zi Chew, a Singaporean businessman.
When TikTok is created?
Before it became TikTok, the app was known as Musical.ly, which was quite popular among teenagers for lip-synching. In 2014, Chinese entrepreneurs Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang brought Musical.ly to life, as noted by Vox. Later on, it was acquired by ByteDance, which already had Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Douyin made its exciting debut in China in 2016.TikTok took in Musical.ly in August 2018, transforming into the app we all enjoy today.
Is TikTok a Chinese-owned app?
TikTok isn’t based in China – in fact, it’s not even available for use there! Douyin is the Chinese mainland version of TikTok. Los Angeles and Singapore are the locations of TikTok’s global headquarters.
Zhang Yiming and Liango Rubo, two Chinese industrialists, established ByteDance.
The Associated Press reports that it was registered in the Cayman Islands but is based in Beijing.
According to Chinese law, ByteDance holds a media license that includes “an entity affiliated with the Chinese government” owning 1% of Douyin Information Service Co., Ltd.
According to AP, organizations in China are required to assist or cooperate with state intelligence work as per the 2017 National Intelligence law. Another 2014 Counter-Espionage Law states that “relevant organizations … may not refuse” evidence collection. A lot of U.S. lawmakers believe that the chance of Beijing gathering intelligence on U.S. users poses a significant risk.Last year, while testifying before Congress, Chew shared with Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J. that the company does not sell data to “any data broker.”
Is TikTok getting banned?
TikTok is just three days away from a possible ban in the United States, and many users are already saying goodbye to the app and looking for other options.
Influencer Jasmine Chiswell shared a video on Tuesday, where she expressed her sadness over text that says: “Me saying goodbye to 18 million best friends because TikTok is getting banned,” accompanied by sad face and broken heart emojis.
The concern about a ban increased after a report on Tuesday from The Information indicated that TikTok might completely shut down for US users this Sunday if it doesn’t succeed in its Supreme Court challenge or secure an American owner by that time. Before the report, many folks thought that US app stores might take TikTok down, but they believed that current users would still be able to use the app on their phones, at least for a bit. There are plenty of TikTok copycat apps excited to welcome users, now referring to themselves as “TikTok refugees,” onto their platforms. However, the apps gaining traction this week aren’t the typical competitors to TikTok, such as Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, or X.
This week, a bunch of exciting new apps have popped up on app stores, like RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), Lemon8, Clapper, Flip, and Fanbase.The race to attract TikTok users shows that despite the long attempts by major tech companies to copy the app’s beloved features, users still believe there’s nothing quite like TikTok out there.
“A fair government for the people, by the people doesn’t make its citizens use Instagram Reels,” creator Mike Gottschalk shared in a TikTok video. “Instagram is utilizing my data in a manner similar to that of TikTok.” We can all envision a new application that will emerge like a knight in shining armor to come in and take TikTok’s place. place, but deep down, we know it’s likely just going to be Reels. And that’s how empires fall apart!
The alternatives
This week, we’re excited to see what’s topping the charts on Apple’s and Google’s app stores! RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, is a fun app from China that feels a lot like Instagram.
It’s a great place to share tips on travel, makeup, and fashion!Several American users who joined the app this week mentioned they were doing so as a reaction to the US government’s ban on TikTok due to national security concerns involving its China-based parent company.If you take away their TikTok, they mentioned, they’d just hop onto another Chinese app.
“I’m giving all my data to China.” “Here you go, China! If it means I get to keep my TikTok, you can have all my information,” a TikTok user named @Thiqydusty shared in a video.
Recently, the arrival of new users to RedNote — which used to be mostly for the Chinese-speaking community — has sparked some amusing moments of cultural exchange. Users have been sharing Mandarin lessons, discussing Chinese and English internet slang, and even suggesting that the app add automatic subtitles in both languages.Duolingo shared on Wednesday that it has experienced a remarkable 216% increase in new Mandarin users compared to the same time last year. This surge may be linked to Americans joining RedNote, which offers a wealth of content in Mandarin. “Learning Mandarin just for fun?” “You’re not alone,” Duolingo shared in a post on X.
Lemon8, a Pinterest-like app from TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, has seen a surge in popularity this week! The company started promoting the app to American users in early 2023, when TikTok CEO Shou Chew appeared before Congress to discuss the app’s data protection practices.
However, both of those platforms might eventually fall under a law that restricts apps managed by a US “foreign adversary” — the same law that is poised to ban TikTok. Some security experts have expressed worries that RedNote might share US user data with the Chinese government. They also believe that many Americans may not fully grasp what they are consenting to when they accept the app’s terms of service, which are only provided in Mandarin.
“This definition includes TikTok and any other social media and mobile application that is controlled by China or by shareholders connected to China,” said Elettra Bietti, assistant professor of law and computer science at Northeastern University. She mentioned that it would be the president’s responsibility to issue a public notice indicating that the platforms were subject to enforcement under the law.
“In my view, the rise of Chinese apps highlights the challenges of categorizing apps individually under (the law), as well as the US government’s limited capacity to regulate how its citizens engage with the internet and the platforms they select for self-expression,” Bietti said.
Absolutely, there are also alternatives that aren’t from China!
Clapper, a short-form video platform with a live audio conversation feature like X, shared with CNN that it welcomed 1.4 million new users in the past week, with an impressive 400,000 joining on Wednesday alone.
And Flip, a shopping-focused short-form video app that’s currently No. 6 on the Apple App Store, shared an apology with users on Sunday after experiencing unexpectedly rapid growth that led to the app being “either very slow or completely down for most users.”
“Audiences that enjoy TikTok, they’re not going to stick to just one place…” <text”I think they’re going to go to many different ones, depending on where their communities are and what type of content they make,” said Jake Maughan, head of influencer marketing at advertising firm BENlabs.
FAQs
- Who owns TikTok?
- TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a global company founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. Approximately 60% of ByteDance is held by global institutional investors, 20% by the founders, and 20% by the employees.
- When was TikTok created?
- TikTok originated from the app Musical.ly, created in 2014 by Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang. ByteDance acquired Musical.ly in 2017 and merged it with their own app Douyin, transforming it into TikTok in August 2018.
- Is TikTok a Chinese-owned app?
- While ByteDance is a Chinese company, TikTok’s global operations are based in Los Angeles and Singapore. TikTok is not available in China, where Douyin serves the local market.
- Why is TikTok facing a potential ban in the US?
- The potential ban stems from national security concerns, as some U.S. lawmakers fear ByteDance’s connections to China could lead to data sharing with the Chinese government, potentially compromising user privacy.
- What are some alternatives to TikTok if it’s banned?
- Alternatives include apps like RedNote (Xiaohongshu), Lemon8, Clapper, Flip, and Fanbase. These platforms are gaining traction among users seeking new spaces for short-form video content.
Conclusion
TikTok’s immense popularity has made it a significant part of American culture, but its future in the US is uncertain due to national security concerns and legislative actions. As the app faces a potential ban, many users are exploring alternatives. Despite the emergence of new platforms, TikTok’s unique appeal remains unmatched, highlighting the challenges in regulating digital spaces and the complexities of global tech ownership and data privacy.
