TikTok

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to createshare and discover short-form videos.

Originating in China under the name Douyinit is the brainchild of ByteDancea Beijing-based technology company. The platform burst onto the international stage in 2016revolutionizing the way the world consumes and creates digital content.

TikTok's short-form videos span genres such as comedydance and education. Users typically create 15- to 60-second videosoften enhanced with musicfilters and special effects. library of music. Howeversome users are producing more long-form contentwith TikTok now supporting up to 60 minutes of pre-recorded material and 10 minutes of video recorded in-app.

What sets TikTok apart is its powerful algorithmwhich personalizes content for each user. By analyzing viewing habits and engagement patternsthe app curates a bespoke "For You" feedensuring an ever-refreshing array of content that aligns with a user's preferences. This sophisticated technology encourages engagement -- scrollingwatching andultimatelycreating.

TikTok's impact extends beyond entertainment. It has evolved into a social media platform for activismbrand marketing and talent discovery.

The history and rise of TikTok

The journey of TikTok began in September 2016 when ByteDance launched the app Douyin for the Chinese market. Within a yearDouyin had attracted 100 million usersrecording more than a billion views daily. ByteDance expanded beyond Chinalaunching TikTok internationally in September 2017.

The major turning point came in November 2017when ByteDance acquired the social media app Musical.lyalready popular among teenagers in the U.S. and Europe. In August 2018TikTok and Musical.ly mergedenlarging TikTok's global footprint with a diverseinternational base of Gen Z users built on its existing teen demographic.

TikTok's rise to prominence is largely attributable to its unique content creation and sharing capabilities. Its user-friendly interfacecombined with an extensive music libraryempowered users to create engaging videos. Coupled with its powerful recommendation algorithmTikTok quickly became a favorite among the younger demographicwho found it a refreshing and entertaining alternative to established social media apps.

Its popularity surged during the COVID-19 pandemicas people turned to digital platforms for entertainment while staying home. The subsequent explosive rise in user engagement and content creation solidified TikTok's position as a leading social media platform.

Since 2020TikTok has been incrementally enabling users to post longer videos. While the video time limit was originally one minuteit gradually increased to three- then five-minute videos. By 2023the time limit was extended to 10 minuteswith 15-minute uploads available to select users for testing. In 2025the app enabled users to upload videos up to 60 minutes long or record videos up to 10 minutes long within the app.

The move toward longer-form content gives TikTok more content monetization opportunities. Content creators and consumers on the platform expressed mixed reactions to the change. Creators said the long-form model makes it harder to earn money on the platform.

TikTok features

TikTok enables content creation that is both fun and engaging. Here are some of the most prominent TikTok features:

• Video recording. TikTok allows users to record videos within the app itselfeither in a single shot or in segmentsmaking it easy to create dynamic and multipart content.
• Video editing. The platform provides an array of video editing toolssuch as trimmingcuttingmerging and looping.
• Filters and effects. TikTok offers several filters and effects to add a further creative touch to user videos. These personal touches include effects such as beauty filters to enhance on-screen appearances and interactive gameplay effects.
• Sounds and voice-overs. Users can select from an extensive library of music and sound effectsor they can use the voice-over feature to narrate their videos.
• Live streaming. TikTok's live streaming feature lets users broadcast themselves in real time for immediate interaction with followers.
• Duet. This innovative feature allows users to create a side-by-side video with another user's contentfacilitating collaboration and creative reinterpretation of existing content.
• Stitch. Similar to DuetStitch allows users to incorporate scenes from another user's video into their ownadding a unique twist to their content.
• Video reply. With the video reply featureusers can respond to comments on their videos with a video instead of a text reply.
• Hashtag challenges. TikTok's hashtag challenges encourage users to create content around a specific theme or task.
• Text-only posts. While TikTok is largely a video-centric platformit also allows text-only posts as a new featureenabling users to share thoughts or start discussions in a traditional social media format.

Business uses for TikTok

TikTok has emerged as a powerful marketing tool for businesses worldwide. Its algorithm and wide user base allow companies to increase their visibility and connect with potential consumersparticularly within the younger demographic. Companies have leveraged the platform's popular hashtag challenges to launch interactive campaignsencouraging user-generated content to help boost brand engagement and awareness.

Duet and Stitch enable businesses to collaborate with influencerstapping into their follower base and enhancing their business brand's credibility. TikTok also offers TikTok Adsan advertising feature that allows brands to create targeted adsbased on the platform's user behavior data.

In additionbusinesses have used TikTok as a storytelling mediumshowcasing their company culturevalues and behind-the-scenes insights through engaging video content. This helps humanize the brand and fosters a sense of connection with the audience.

Marketing videos on TikTok offer businesses a creative avenue to showcase their products and services. Businesses can use existing influencers on TikTok to enhance their reach and engagement since consumers increasingly trust recommendations from personalities they feel they know and admire. Influencers have thousands and sometimes millions of followersand they promote a product or service in narrational videos by using the product or showing them purchase it.

Live streaming on TikTok serves as a real-time marketing tool. Businesses can use it for product releasesQ&A sessions or behind-the-scenes peeksfostering a deeper connection with their audience. It's a unique opportunity for instant customer feedback and engagement.

TikTok is gradually becoming a hub for e-commercewith features such as "Shop Now" links allowing businesses to seamlessly lead users from a video to a product purchase page.

Learn more about the different types of video marketing for businesses to reach consumers.

TikTok controversies

TikTok faces criticism and legal scrutiny for issues related to data privacyuser safety and content moderationamong others. These controversies underscore the complexities inherent in managing a global social media platform and highlight the need for ongoing dialogue about digital ethics and user protection.

Privacy concerns

TikTok encounters significant backlash regarding its data privacy practicesparticularly the extent to which the app collects user data and how that data is handled. TikTok's data collection practices have been cited as being excessively intrusiveincluding the gathering of a vast array of user information such as location datadevice information and personal details from social network connections.

In additionsome claim TikTok's data privacy policy leaves users uninformed about how their information is storedused and shared. Critics argue that such practices pose significant privacy risksespecially considering TikTok's vast global user basenow at roughly 1.06 billion monthly active users.

TikTok's ownership by Chinese company ByteDance raises concerns about potential data access by the Chinese governmentan obvious national security concern to several countries. While TikTok assures users that it stores data in the United Stateswith a backup in Singaporethe controversy continues to cast doubt on the platform's privacy practices.

In response to these concernsTikTok has made efforts to improve its privacy practices and increase transparencysuch as allowing users to view the data the app has collected about them.

Bans

TikTok's controversies extend beyond privacy concerns into the terrain of outright bans in several countries. Many nations have expressed alarm over the potential for misuse of the app by foreign governmentsleading to its prohibition. For instanceIndiaonce TikTok's largest international market and the world's largest democracybanned the app along with several other Chinese apps in mid-2020citing threats to its sovereignty and security.

The U.S. has also explored banning the app due to fears that the Chinese government could access user data for espionage. The first proposal to ban TikTok was submitted during President Trump's first term. TikTok struck a preliminary deal to partner with U.S. companies to alleviate these concernsbut both the ban and the deal were placed on hold under the Biden administration. In early 2024a bill was passed that would enact the TikTok ban in January 2025.

On Jan. 182025TikTok complied with the ban and went dark in the U.S. for approximately 12 hours. Howeverservice was then restored when newly reinstated President Trump signed an executive order to delay the ban by 75 daysto give TikTok more time to comply with the law. On April 42025Trump signed another executive order authorizing an extension of 75 days. On June 172025a third extension of 75 days was announced.

President Trump has since told the media that a group of US investors is ready to buy TikTok's U.S. business. It has also been reported that TikTok is working on a U.S.-only version of the appinternally known as M2which would launch on Sept. 52025. Togetherthis would make TikTok's operations compliant with U.S. law.

TikTok challenges

TikTok challenges draw concerns over safety and questions of inappropriate content. Viral trends on the platform often involve physical stuntsdances or pranks that are dangerous and can potentially lead to harm. For instancechallenges such as the "skull-breaker challenge" or the "outlet challenge" have resulted in serious injuries to participantssparking widespread concern about the lack of adequate content moderation.

The platform also faces criticism for challenges perceived to promote negative body imagecyberbullying or inappropriate behaviorespecially among younger users. Additionallythere are concerns about the use of copyrighted music in these challengesigniting disputes over intellectual property rights. TikTokin responsesays it continues to work on improving its content moderation policies and community guidelines to create a safer and more respectful environment for its users.

User mental health worries

TikTok's continuous stream of rapid-fireengaging content can be highly addictiveleading to excessive screen time among usersparticularly younger ones. Excessive screen time has been associated with sleep deprivationdecreased productivity and increased stress and anxiety levels.

Constant exposure to potentially unrealistic portrayals of successbeauty and life can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and negative self-perceptionfueling mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Even though some users find TikTok helpful to find resourcesresearchers argue the algorithm exposes users to additional content that can be harmfulaccording to a University of Minnesota study.

Concerns also stem from the presence of inappropriate content on the platform. Despite its content moderation policiesTikTok has failed to filter content that could be distressing or triggering for young usersincluding violentsexual or otherwise explicit material. This widespread availability of inappropriate content fuels criticism of the platform's efficacy in protecting its user baseparticularly minorsfrom such harmful exposure.

Moreoverthe advertising practices on TikTok raise mental health concerns. Critics argue the platform's direct advertising to minorsoften for inappropriate or potentially harmful products or servicescan have detrimental effects on their mental health and physical well-being. Such practices highlight the need for better monitoring and stricter regulations to protect vulnerable users from potential exploitation.