Core Concepts
TikTok's rapid growth raises concerns about data privacy and national security.
Abstract
Standalone Note here
TikTok, a video-sharing app with 1.5 billion monthly active users, has become the 5th largest social media platform globally in just 7 years.
In 2021, TikTok surpassed Google.com as the most visited website worldwide and later overtook Snapchat as the preferred social media network for American teenagers.
The app's success was fueled by massive marketing spending, with $19.2 billion allocated in 2021 alone to ensure widespread adoption.
Despite its popularity, TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company obligated to share user data with the Chinese government upon request.
Concerns arose when it was revealed that former ByteDance employees with ties to the Chinese government accessed TikTok data improperly.
The Origins of TikTok:
ByteDance, founded by Zhang Yiming in 2012, started with apps like Neihan Duanzi for sharing memes and Toutiao for news aggregation.
Stats
TikTok has over 1.5 billion monthly active users.
In 2021, TikTok spent $19.2 billion on marketing.
Quotes
"Unknown to most of TikTok’s user base, beneath the light-hearted dance clips and comedy skits lies a darker reality."
"TikTok is operated by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company legally obligated to provide user data to the Chinese government."