TikTok in Europe, like globally, is owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, but faces intense scrutiny and regulatory pressure from the EU over data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and alleged Chinese government access, leading to investigations, fines (like a €530m one in May 2025), and attempts by TikTok to distance its operations from China.
'Shaking Sound'), is a social media and short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance.
As of this writing, TikTok is owned by ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese technology company that Zhang Yiming founded in 2012.
On January 18, 2025, the day before the deadline of the law, TikTok temporarily suspended its services in the United States. The following day, after President-elect Trump signaled that he would grant an extension to TikTok upon being inaugurated, services were restored.
The app was launched in 2016 by the Chinese technology company ByteDance. Concerns about ByteDance's Chinese ownership and possible links to the Chinese government have made TikTok controversial in certain countries, particularly the United States.
Shou Zi Chew (Chinese: 周受资; born 1 January 1983) is a Singaporean business executive who has been the chief executive officer (CEO) of TikTok, an online video platform owned by Chinese company ByteDance, since 2021.
Chew has emphatically told Congress that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government. However, like most other Chinese companies, ByteDance is legally compelled to establish an in-house Communist Party committee composed of employees who are party members.
The short-form video-hosting service TikTok has been under a de jure nationwide ban in the United States since January 19, 2025, due to the US government's concerns over potential user data collection and influence operations by the government of the People's Republic of China. However, the ban has yet to be enforced.
The meaning of "TikTok" refers to the popular short-form video social media app, named for the sound of a ticking clock to emphasize its time-limited, engaging content, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance. It's a platform where users create and share videos, often featuring music, dancing, comedy, and educational clips, driven by a powerful AI algorithm that curates a personalized "For You" feed. In China, it's known as Douyin ("Shaking Sound").
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. business to three American investors — Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX — ensuring the popular social video platform can continue operating in the United States.
Billionaire Elon Musk said that he was not interested in purchasing TikTok, the popular short-video app that the United States has been trying to ban over national security concerns with its Chinese owner ByteDance.
Topping the list of the wealthiest individuals is Zhong Shanshan, with a net worth of $72 bn. Often referred to as “the lone wolf billionaire,” Zhong made his fortune through Nongfu Spring bottled water and pharmaceutical ventures, representing the diversified nature of China's private wealth.
Zhang Yiming, the 41-year-old software engineer who founded the app's parent company, ByteDance, now has a net worth of $57.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This makes Zhang the richest person in China, edging ahead of Pony Ma, the founder and CEO of Tencent.
It's the United States! According to recent data, the US takes the crown as the country with the highest number of TikTok users.
TikTok is a popular video-sharing smartphone application (app) owned by ByteDance Ltd., a privately held company headquartered in Beijing, China.
TikTok's original name was 'Douyin' when it launched in China in 2016. The app got its international name when it merged with the lip-syncing app Musical.ly in 2018.
Surprising TikTok Facts and Statistics
No, TikTok isn't getting fully banned in Australia, but a new law effective December 2025 restricts under-16s from having accounts on major platforms, including TikTok, forcing companies to use age verification; separate federal bans already prevent TikTok on government devices due to national security concerns.
Here's our pick of the best alternative social media platforms that rival TikTok, from other short video platforms to those bringing something else to the table:
Several countries have banned TikTok, with some imposing total bans like India, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Somalia, while others, including the US, UK, Canada, and many European nations (EU, France, Belgium, etc.), have banned it on government-issued devices due to national security, data privacy, or content concerns**. The United States recently enacted a law for a potential nationwide ban if its parent company doesn't sell, though it's not fully implemented yet. China itself blocks the app but allows its domestic version, Douyin, to operate.
Weibo is among the most popular Chinese social media apps, with more than 605 million monthly active users. Owned by Weibo Corporation and sometimes referred to as the Twitter of China, Weibo is a microblogging platform.
Information TikTok collects
You could also unwittingly provide sensitive information in direct messages. As well, if you take a photo of a document or a place that has sensitive information and store it on your cellphone. Even if you don't conscientiously share it with TikTok, the app has access to it.