TikTok is a social networking website that enables users to make and share short movies, which are typically between 15 and 60 seconds long.
Around 1 billion people use the app each month around the world, with younger audiences enjoying it the most. We shall examine the background, functions, and debates around TikTok in this post.
In September 2016, the Chinese business ByteDance debuted TikTok. The app was first made available in China under the name Douyin before being made available there and elsewhere as TikTok. The app immediately became well-liked, especially among younger audiences, and one of the social media platforms with the quickest rate of growth ever.
The capacity to make and share short videos is TikTok’s key feature. The software offers users a variety of tools and features, like as filters, effects, and music, to edit and improve their films. Text, stickers, and other elements can be be added by users to their videos.
Users can find fresh material on TikTok’s “For You” feed, which is the app’s home page, based on their interests and engagement patterns. Based on their prior watching habits and engagement, the app recommends videos to users using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
Despite its success, TikTok has encountered a number of issues and difficulties. Data security and privacy have been among the main issues raised, especially in light of the app’s Chinese ownership. One of its biggest markets, India, banned the app in 2020 because to worries over data privacy and national security.
Similar attention was directed at TikTok in the US, where the Trump administration threatened to outlaw the app over worries about national security. In order to comply with federal laws, the app had to sell its US business to American investors.
With relation to the dissemination of false information and hazardous content in particular, TikTok has also come under fire for its content filtering procedures. In order to solve these issues, the app has taken a variety of steps, such as adding more moderators and enforcing stricter rules for content producers.
Also, TikTok has come under fire for how it handles creators and how it uses their content. The app has been accused by certain content providers of utilizing their work without giving due credit or pay. To allay these worries, TikTok launched the Creator Fund, which gives money to creators according on their views and interaction.
How many countries have TikTok bans?
Here are a few nations that have outlawed TikTok or taken action to limit its use:
India: TikTok and several other Chinese applications were outlawed by the Indian government in June 2020 due to worries about data privacy and national security.
United States: Citing worries for national security, President Donald Trump issued an executive order in August 2020 prohibiting business with TikTok and its parent firm ByteDance. A federal judge did, however, temporarily prohibit the ban, and the Biden administration has subsequently stopped it while examining its legality.
Pakistan: Due to worries about “immoral” and “indecent” content, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned TikTok in October 2020.
Bangladesh: Because to worries over “negative consequences on society,” the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) banned TikTok in February 2021.
Indonesia: Because to worries over “pornographic content,” the Indonesian government temporarily banned TikTok in July 2021.
Nigeria: TikTok and other social media platforms would no longer be used in Nigeria, the government said in July 2021, citing worries over “activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”
Iran: Citing worries over “immoral” content, the Iranian government prohibited access to TikTok in July 2021.
It’s important to note that occasionally bans or limits on TikTok have been temporary or are still being considered. In other instances, the bans have been applied more tightly, raising issues with free speech and information access. With more than one billion active users as of 2021, TikTok is still among the most widely used social media apps worldwide.