How TikTok rose in popularity – and its potential ban

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As the US Supreme Court debates the video-sharing app’s fate in the United States, we take a closer look at the platform.

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Participants hold signs in support of TikTok in March 2024, in Washington, DC, United States. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

The United States Supreme Court will hear TikTok’s appeal on Friday, focusing on a law that would force its owner to sell the short-form video hosting service or shut it down in the US.

But what is this social media app, and how did it become so popular? Here is a closer look at the rise of the platform as it awaits its fate.

TikTok’s rapid rise from a simple video app to a global social media powerhouse is one of the most significant shifts in digital entertainment since the beginning of social media.

From teenage dancers to grandmothers sharing cooking tips, TikTok has showed an unprecedented ability to transform ordinary users into global celebrities virtually overnight, revolutionising the traditional path to stardom.

First launched in 2016 by Chinese tech company ByteDance as Douyin for the Chinese market, an international version named TikTok came after in 2017.

It gained massive momentum after merging with Musical.ly, a lip-synching app, a year later.

A man downloaded TikTok on his device in Albania in December 2024 after the prime minister announces plans to ban the app in January. Photo: Reuters

The secret sauce to the app’s rapid expansion was its innovative recommendation algorithm.

Unlike other social media platforms that primarily show content from accounts users already follow, TikTok’s “For You” page serves content based on viewing habits, engagement patterns and sophisticated content analysis.

This means a video from a complete unknown can reach millions of viewers if the algorithm determines it’s engaging enough.

Its short-form video format has also played a role in keeping users hooked.

Initially limited to uploads of 15 seconds, this was later expanded to accommodate videos up to 10 minutes long. Uploads as long as 60 minutes are currently being tested.

US TikTok ban would hurt small content creators

YouTube (with Shorts) and Instagram (with Reels) have chased its success. The TikTok interface of users thumb-scrolling through machine-recommended content has been widely duplicated, notably on Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter).

TikTok’s signature feature – the ability to easily create, edit and share videos – quickly captured the attention of Generation Z users before spreading to broader demographics.

Its success grew during the coronavirus pandemic when it felt like the world was locked at home and desperate for entertainment and shared experience.

By 2021, TikTok had over a billion active users worldwide. It has been downloaded more than three billion times since its creation.

The platform has emerged as a powerful marketing tool and cultural catalyst. Businesses increasingly leverage TikTok for advertising, while creators – or “influencers” – can monetise their content.

Other social media apps have followed TikTok’s lead with their own short-form video content. Photo: Shutterstock

TikTok’s rise has not been without controversy, mainly for its Chinese ownership and the site’s built-in unpredictability.

The platform has faced intense scrutiny from governments worldwide, particularly in the United States, over concerns about data privacy and potential ties to the Chinese government, including accusations of spying and acting as a tool of propaganda.

In 2020, India permanently banned TikTok alongside other Chinese apps, citing national security concerns, while Donald Trump’s first administration attempted to force a sale of TikTok’s US operations to American companies.

TikTok now faces a January 19 deadline in the US to lose its Chinese ownership or be banned from app stores, though Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay the cut-off date as he tries to find an alternative solution.

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