Byte Dance TikTok Rise to Global Dominance

Byte Dance TikTok's rise to global dominance is a story of rapid growth and strategic innovation. Byte Dance acquired Musical.ly in 2016 for $1 billion, and then merged it with TikTok to create a new platform.

This acquisition marked a turning point in TikTok's history, as it allowed the company to tap into Musical.ly's existing user base of teenagers. By 2018, TikTok had already surpassed 500 million monthly active users.

TikTok's algorithm-driven "For You" page, which uses AI to curate content for each user, played a significant role in its success. This feature allowed users to discover new content and creators, and helped to keep them engaged on the platform.

Byte Dance's focus on creating a community-driven platform also contributed to TikTok's popularity. The app's "Reaction" feature, which allows users to interact with each other's content, helped to foster a sense of community among users.

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ByteDance, the parent company behind TikTok, has a fascinating history that spans over a decade. In March 2012, ByteDance launched its first app, Neihan Duanzi, which allowed users to share jokes and memes. This app had over 200 million users before being shut down in 2018.

ByteDance's success can be attributed to its strategic product launches, including Toutiao in August 2012, which became its core product. The company's four-part plan for the future, presented in January 2013, aimed to expand its user base globally, including an English version of Toutiao.

Here's a brief timeline of ByteDance's major milestones:

In just a few years, ByteDance has grown into the most valuable private tech company on the planet, with a vast array of products and services under its belt.

ByteDance launched its first app, Neihan Duanzi, in March 2012, which allowed users to share jokes, memes, and humorous videos.

This app quickly gained popularity and had over 200 million users before it was forced to shut down by the Chinese government in 2018.

In August 2012, ByteDance launched its first news and content platform, Toutiao, which would become the core product of the company.

Toutiao was an instant success and would go on to play a crucial role in ByteDance's growth and expansion.

The success of Neihan Duanzi and Toutiao laid the foundation for ByteDance's future growth and expansion into new markets and industries.

In March 2016, ByteDance established its research arm, the ByteDance AI Lab, headed by Wei-Ying Ma, the former assistant managing director of Microsoft Research Asia.

The company made a series of acquisitions and new product launches from late 2016 to 2017. These included investing in the Indonesian news recommendation platform BABE and acquiring Flipagram, which was later rebranded to Vigo Video.

In November 2017, ByteDance acquired musical.ly for an estimated US$1 billion, merging it with TikTok in August 2018 to expand globally.

ByteDance has been in litigation with Tencent since 2018, with lawsuits alleging unfair competition and data crawling without authorization.

In December 2018, ByteDance sued Chinese technology news site Huxiu for defamation after Huxiu reported that ByteDance-owned Indian news app Helo was propagating fake news.

ByteDance has continued to expand its product offerings, launching a new division called BytePlus in April 2021 to distribute the software framework underlying TikTok.

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In August 2021, ByteDance acquired Pico, an Oculus-like virtual reality startup, and in June 2022, the Financial Times reported on a culture clash at ByteDance's London office that led to a staff exodus.

In March 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that former employees alleged ByteDance engages in a practice called "horse racing", where multiple teams build the same product, and the team with the better version receives more support.

Here's a brief timeline of ByteDance's major milestones:

Note: This is not an exhaustive list, but highlights some of the key events in ByteDance's history.

China has been a key market for ByteDance since its inception in 2012. The company has faced numerous challenges in the country, including censorship and regulatory issues.

In April 2018, China's state media regulator, the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), ordered the temporary removal of Toutiao and Neihan Duanzi from Chinese app stores. The NRTA accused Neihan Duanzi of hosting "vulgar" and "improper" content.

ByteDance's Beijing headquarters has maintained an office where cybersecurity police are stationed to instantly report illegal content. This move shows the company's commitment to complying with Chinese regulations.

In November 2019, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) ordered ByteDance to remove "slanderous" information on Fang Zhimin from Toutiao. This highlights the strict controls in place for online content in China.

ByteDance has increased its censors from 6,000 to 10,000 employees, and also gives preference to Chinese Communist Party members in its hiring. This demonstrates the company's efforts to align with the Chinese government's policies.

In April 2020, the CAC ordered ByteDance to take down its office collaboration tool, Lark, because it could be used to circumvent Internet censorship. This shows the extent to which the Chinese government monitors online activities.

Here is a list of some of the key events and regulations that ByteDance has faced in China:

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has a significant amount of funding from various investors, including Jeff Yass's Susquehanna International Group and SoftBank Group, which valued ByteDance at $300 billion as of November 2024.

ByteDance's ownership is also quite diverse, with 60% of investors being from outside of China, 20% being its founders and Chinese investors, and 20% being employees.

In addition to its financial backing, ByteDance has also partnered with e-commerce platform Shopify, allowing online merchants to sell their products directly to consumers on TikTok.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has a diverse group of investors. ByteDance is backed financially by several major investors, including Susquehanna International Group, Primavera Capital Group, and SoftBank Group.

These investors have helped ByteDance reach a valuation of $300 billion as of November 2024. The company's ownership is also quite diverse, with investors outside of China holding a 60% stake, founders and Chinese investors holding a 20% stake, and employees holding a 20% stake.

One notable investor is the state-owned China Internet Investment Fund, which purchased a 1% stake in ByteDance's main Chinese subsidiary in 2021. This investment came with a condition that a government official would be seated on the subsidiary's board.

Here's a breakdown of ByteDance's ownership structure:

In 2023, G42 purchased a stake in ByteDance, further expanding the company's investor base.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is planning a massive share buyback worth $330 billion. This move is a significant step in the company's efforts to boost its stock price.

The buyback plan is designed to reduce the number of outstanding shares, which can help increase the value of each remaining share. This is a common strategy used by companies to reward their shareholders and boost investor confidence.

ByteDance's decision to launch a share buyback of this magnitude is a vote of confidence in the company's future prospects. It suggests that the company's leaders are optimistic about its growth potential.

Shopify added TikTok to its portfolio of social media platforms in October 2020, allowing online merchants to sell their products directly to consumers on TikTok.

Small businesses have used TikTok to advertise and reach a wider audience than their geographical region. This is attributed to TikTok's algorithm, which shows content that viewers are drawn to but unlikely to actively search for.

In 2020, digital media companies like Group Nine Media and Global used TikTok increasingly, focusing on tactics such as partnering with TikTok influencers and developing branded content campaigns.

Notable collaborations between larger brands and top TikTok influencers include Chipotle's partnership with David Dobrik in May 2019 and Dunkin' Donuts' partnership with Charli D'Amelio in September 2020.

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, discovered a new revenue stream by allowing creators to promote third-party stores in their videos and live streams, introducing a basic affiliate model. This model helped diversify ByteDance's revenue.

ByteDance launched its own comprehensive selling tool in 2018, allowing creators to make Douyin Stores of products and earn a solid 5% of each sale.

The platform's algorithms served users relevant shopping content, making it easy for creators to monetize their content. Douyin's success proved that ByteDance's AI-powered middle platform could be replicated in various content categories.

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From 2020 to 2021, Douyin expanded in-app e-commerce to include local services like restaurants, flights, hotel bookings, and more. This expansion showed that the platform's capabilities could be deployed across separate services.

ByteDance's decision to go global was driven by the fact that China accounts for only one-fifth of Internet users globally, and expanding on a global scale was necessary to stay competitive.

ByteDance's growth strategy involved paid acquisition to build its network. In 2018, ByteDance launched its own comprehensive selling tool to capture more of the value moving through its platform, Douyin.

This tool allowed creators to make Douyin Stores of products, and as people consumed (now shoppable) content, they would get automatic pop-ups and embedded links to directly purchase products inside the app. Each time a user bought something, Douyin's algorithms got more data, and they got a solid 5% of the sale.

The more users Douyin had, the more data it collected, and the smarter its product became. This is an example of a data network effect, where the product becomes more valuable as more users use it.

ByteDance's AI-powered middle platform was able to be replicated in various content categories and deployed across separate services, generating different types of revenue. This diversification of revenue streams helped ByteDance's growth and made it less dependent on a single source of income.

Here are some key points to consider when building a network through paid acquisition:

By following these strategies, you can build a strong network and drive growth for your business.

TikTok's bite-sized content is a key factor in its engaging nature. It's designed to be simple, unexpected, concrete, emotional, and storytelling-driven, making it easy to consume and share.

The platform's short-form videos are optimized for rapid dopamine hits, releasing a variable reward with each swipe of the thumb. This variable reward system is powerful for driving attention, focus, and repeated action, creating habit-forming behavior.

Here are the 5 key elements that make an idea stick in a TikTok video:

TikTok's design trains each user's algorithm very fast, capturing data from 40, 15-second videos in the time it takes to watch one 10-minute YouTube video.

TikTok Music is a streaming service that allows users to highlight and share lyrics, comments, and other user-generated content alongside full-length tracks.

It launched in Indonesia and Brazil in July 2023, and later premiered in Mexico, Singapore, and Australia on October 19, 2023.

TikTok Music has licensing agreements with major music companies like Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Merlin Network, and Beggars Group.

The platform was shut down in India in January 2024 due to local market conditions.

TikTok Music will officially shut down on November 28, 2024, as announced by ByteDance on September 24, 2024.

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TikTok's user base is predominantly young, with 41% of users between the ages of 16 and 24. These individuals are considered Generation Z.

The app's daily usage is staggering, with 90% of users in this age group saying they use TikTok daily. That's a lot of scrolling!

TikTok's geographical use is also worth noting, with 43% of new users coming from India in 2019. However, the app has grown in popularity among adults, with 14% of U.S. adults regularly getting news from TikTok in 2023.

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In the UK, 28% of 12 to 15-year-olds rely on TikTok as their primary news source on social media. This is a significant percentage, especially when compared to traditional sources like BBC One/Two, which are trusted by 82% of this age group.

The app's user base is also skewed towards males, with 67% of TikTok's top 100 male creators being white. Additionally, 54% of these creators have near-perfect facial symmetry.

China has a strict approach to regulating Douyin, a version of TikTok, for minors.

In 2018, the government pressured ByteDance to introduce parental controls and a "teenage mode" that limits content.

This mode shows only whitelisted content, such as knowledge sharing, and bans pranks, superstition, dance clubs, and pro-LGBT content.

A mandatory screen time limit was put in place for users under the age of 14.

Minors are also required to link their accounts to a real identity to prevent lying about their age or using an adult's account.

In March 2023, TikTok announced default screen time limits for users under the age of 18.

Those under the age of 13 need a passcode from their parents to extend their time.

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TikTok's features are designed to keep you engaged, with short-form videos that are incredibly easy to consume. Each video is typically 15 seconds long, making it perfect for a quick dopamine hit.

The 5 key elements that make an idea stick on TikTok are: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Emotional, and Story. These elements are what make TikTok's content so addictive.

TikTok's feed works like a slot machine, releasing a new variable reward with each swipe of the thumb. This reward system is powerful for driving attention, focus, and repeated action.

With atomic consumption, TikTok can capture data from 40, 15-second videos in the time it takes to watch one 10-minute YouTube video. This is because each video unit is designed for speed and clarity of signal-gathering.

You can discover new content on TikTok through unique discovery vectors, such as hashtags, video effects, music, or creator. This allows you to find related videos and explore new interests.

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Here are the 4 forces that help creators grow on TikTok:

TikTok's onboarding process is a masterclass in making it easy for new users to get started. They offer a wide range of single-sign-on options during account creation, reducing friction in the account creation phase.

In 2018, you didn't even need an account to use TikTok - it created a shadow profile based on your device ID. This shows how TikTok is always looking for ways to make its app more user-friendly.

The app only asks for your interests optionally, and even then, it's not necessary to provide them. Your implicit data quickly helps their recommendation engine learn about what you want to see as soon as you start using the app.

The only "onboarding tutorial" they give you is when you land on the feed and they tell you about the single primary action you need to know about - swipe up for more videos. This is all the guidance you need to start using the app.

I created a new account and skipped the interest question, and within 10 seconds, I was watching my first video. Importantly, it was already playing, no need to start it, and no confusion about where to go.

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ByteDance's TikTok has faced several controversies and issues. Censorship, surveillance, and data privacy concerns have been raised, particularly regarding content related to human rights in Tibet and the persecution of Uyghurs in China.

The company has been criticized for its handling of user data, including the collection of IP addresses, location data, and keystroke patterns. TikTok's privacy policy has been deemed "vague" by experts, and the company has been accused of tracking users who have viewed LGBT-related content.

TikTok has also struggled with graphic content, including a viral video that showed a graphic scene of a man being beheaded by a saw. The company has since worked to remove such content from its platform. Misinformation has also been a problem, with conspiracy theories and false information spreading quickly on the platform.

Censorship and surveillance concerns have been raised about ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, due to its ties to the Chinese government and its National Intelligence Law.

TikTok collects a vast amount of user data, including usage information, IP addresses, and location data, which has raised concerns about data privacy.

In June 2021, TikTok updated its privacy policy to include potential collection of biometric data, including faceprints and voiceprints, for special effects and other purposes.

The company has faced fines and criticism for mishandling children's data, including a €345 million fine from the Ireland Data Protection Commission in September 2023.

TikTok has been accused of suppressing videos by disabled users and LGBTQ+ users in an effort to limit cyberbullying, but this practice has been criticized as problematic.

A study by the Citizen Lab in March 2021 found that TikTok did not collect data beyond industry norms, but experts have raised concerns about the company's data collection practices.

TikTok has banned Holocaust denial, but conspiracy theories like Pizzagate and QAnon have become popular on the platform, with hashtags reaching millions of views.

The company has removed accounts of Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik in September 2024, following a request from Singaporean authorities to remove accounts spreading false information.

TikTok's algorithm tracks users' interests, not their identity, but the company has faced criticism for tracking users who have viewed LGBT-related content.

The platform has been used to spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, including clips from Plandemic, and has removed some of these videos.

TikTok has announced a midterms Elections Center to combat misinformation in the 2022 US election, but experts have raised concerns about the quality of results from the platform.

The company has faced criticism for its handling of graphic content, including a shock video that went viral in June 2021.

TikTok has removed the accounts of Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik, following a request from Singaporean authorities to remove accounts spreading false information.

Underage users may inadvertently reveal their daily routine and whereabouts, raising concerns of potential misuse by sexual predators.

The Italian Data Protection Authority demanded that TikTok temporarily suspend Italian users whose age could not be established in January 2021.

TikTok has faced fines and criticism for mishandling children's data, including a €10 million fine from the Italian Competition Authority in March 2024.

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Feminism on TikTok has become a significant force, with the platform's growth contributing to a surge in digital feminist movements and discourse.

The unique organization of TikTok, which enables spontaneous peer-to-peer information sharing, has allowed for community-engaged, digital knowledge mobilization and exchange between social justice communities.

Feminists and marginalized communities have found a safer space to engage in discussion and dialogue on TikTok, which might have been impossible otherwise due to circumstances.

TikTok's organic potential has also enabled the popularization of anti-feminist content, which reinforces dominant social, hierarchical, and gender values.

As a result, both feminist challenges and anti-feminist reinforcement are widespread and instigated through TikTok, making it a complex and multifaceted platform for feminist movements.

Trump wants to save TikTok, a decision that puts the app's fate in his hands after the January 19 deadline to force a sale.

Trump's incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, confirmed that Trump's intention is to allow American people to have access to the app while protecting their data.

TikTok's fate is now tied to Trump's decision, which could potentially lead to a 90-day extension of the deadline.

The app's owner, ByteDance, will need to show significant progress toward a divestiture to trigger the extension.

TikTok warned that the court ruling would interrupt services for tens of millions of users outside the US, and hundreds of US service providers would be unable to support the platform starting January 19.

Trump previously tried to ban TikTok during his first term in 2020, but it's unclear if he can make a difference this time around.

Trump's past attempts to ban foreign-owned apps, including WeChat, were blocked by the courts, but this time the decision upholds the law that gives the US government sweeping powers to ban such apps.

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Byte Dance, the parent company of TikTok, has been working with authorities to promote their policies. In April 2018, China's state media regulator ordered the temporary removal of Toutiao and Neihan Duanzi from Chinese app stores.

TikTok has also partnered with various organizations to promote tourism and support small businesses. In April 2021, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism partnered with TikTok to promote tourism for the city. In June 2023, TikTok deleted 340 accounts and 2,000 videos associated with criminal gangs in cooperation with New Zealand and Australian police.

TikTok has also faced regulatory issues in the UK. In April 2023, the ICO imposed a £12.7 million fine on TikTok for misusing children's data.

In October 2021, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers pressed TikTok on questions of data privacy and moderation for age-appropriate content.

TikTok said it doesn't give information to China's government, but in June 2022, leaked audio recordings revealed employees in China had access to overseas data, including a "master admin" who could see "everything".

A spokesperson for the U.S. government contractor Booz Allen Hamilton said some of the report's information was inaccurate, but wouldn't confirm or deny working with TikTok.

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The Senate Intelligence Committee called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate ByteDance and whether TikTok had misled them.

In response, TikTok confirmed that employees in China could have access to U.S. data and announced that U.S. user traffic would now be routed through Oracle Cloud.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr called for Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores, citing concerns about sensitive data being accessed from Beijing.

A former ByteDance employee filed a wrongful termination lawsuit alleging that Hong Kong users' device information and communications were accessed by Chinese Communist Party members in 2018.

In June 2023, TikTok confirmed that some financial information of American content creators, such as tax forms and Social Security numbers, are stored in China.

A 2024 unclassified threat assessment by the Director of National Intelligence said "TikTok accounts run by a [Chinese] propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates" during the 2022 United States elections.

Here's a summary of the key events:

Banning TikTok may seem like a straightforward solution to concerns about user data and child safety, but the issue is more complex than that. In 2020, the Central Intelligence Agency analysts found no evidence that the Chinese government had obtained user information from the app.

Some governments have indeed taken steps to restrict or ban TikTok on their devices. For example, the app is banned on national governmental devices, and the UK's Information Commissioner's Office imposed a £12.7 million fine on TikTok for misusing children's data in April 2023.

However, the situation is not always clear-cut. In some cases, TikTok has been banned for all users, but not enforced. In other cases, the app has been discontinued for download or made unavailable, with Douyin used instead.

Here's a breakdown of the different types of bans:

The fact that some governments have taken steps to restrict or ban TikTok suggests that there are valid concerns about the app's handling of user data and child safety. However, the complexity of the situation and the varying approaches to regulation highlight the need for a more nuanced approach to addressing these issues.

ByteDance has been actively engaging in lobbying efforts to shape policy and legislation in the United States. The company has spent over $17.7 million on lobbying since its first report in 2019, with a significant portion of that, $8.7 million, coming in 2023.

Its lobbying team is led by Michael Beckerman and includes some high-profile former politicians like Trent Lott and John Breaux.

ByteDance has also hired several lobbying firms, including K&L Gates and LGL Advisors, to help navigate the complex lobbying landscape.

The company has targeted several key bills, including the United States Innovation and Competition Act and the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

In response to anti-TikTok advocacy groups, ByteDance launched its own $2.1 million marketing campaign across swing states in March 2024.

The Federal Trade Commission has been actively involved in regulating TikTok's practices, particularly regarding children's online privacy. In 2019, the FTC fined ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, $5.7 million for collecting information from minors under 13 without consent.

TikTok responded to the fine by introducing a kids-only mode that restricts certain features, such as video uploads and direct messaging. This move was likely an effort to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

An advocacy group filed a complaint with the FTC in 2020, alleging that TikTok had violated the terms of the 2019 consent decree. This complaint sparked renewed calls for an FTC investigation into TikTok's practices.

TikTok eventually settled a class action lawsuit for $1.1 million in 2022, related to COPPA violations. The FTC continues to investigate TikTok, with a joint lawsuit filed in 2024 with the U.S. Department of Justice alleging further violations of the 2019 consent decree.

The Data Protection Commission in Europe has been actively investigating TikTok's data handling practices. In September 2021, the Ireland Data Protection Commission launched investigations into TikTok concerning the protection of minors' data and transfers of personal data to China.

The Irish DPC took over investigations started by Dutch and Italian authorities after TikTok established an office in Ireland. This move highlights the importance of having a physical presence in a region to comply with local regulations.

TikTok was fined €345 million by the DPC in September 2023 for violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding the mishandling of children's data. This significant fine serves as a warning to companies that fail to protect user data.

In April 2025, the Ireland DPC fined TikTok over €500 million for illegally sending European user data to China. This fine demonstrates the consequences of non-compliance with data protection regulations.

A new investigation was opened by the DPC in July 2025 into TikTok for unauthorized transfers of user data to China. This ongoing investigation shows that the DPC remains vigilant in ensuring companies adhere to data protection laws.

TikTok has been making waves in the partnership department, collaborating with various organizations to promote positive change and growth.

In 2021, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism partnered with TikTok to promote tourism for the city, following a similar campaign with the United Arab Emirates Government Media Office earlier that year.

TikTok has also taken steps to address concerns about hosting content by organized crime groups, working with New Zealand and Australian police to delete 340 accounts and 2,000 videos associated with criminal gangs.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster praised TikTok for taking a "socially-responsible stance" against gangs, highlighting the platform's efforts to counter violent and hateful content.

TikTok has also partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to support small Latino businesses, setting aside $5,000 each for 40 grant recipients based on entrepreneurship.

In addition, TikTok signed a sponsorship deal with Team GB to help UK athletes connect with new audiences for the 2024 Summer Olympics, following the relaxation of digital advertising rules for the Olympics.

TikTok's partnership with Wrexham A.F.C. in 2021 was a notable collaboration, with the platform becoming the primary sponsor of the English Football League club.

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, was founded by Zhang Yiming in a small Beijing apartment in 2012.

Zhang's approach was to push relevant content to people through artificial intelligence, specifically by generating high-quality recommendations.

Toutiao, ByteDance's first product, is a news aggregator app that scrapes content from the Internet and pushes it to people's feeds based on their interests.

The algorithm behind Toutiao is powered by AI and machine learning, and uses big data to analyze a user's news preferences and offer curated, adaptive content.

Unlike other platforms, Toutiao doesn't need explicit user inputs, social graphs, or product purchase history to rely on, making it a pioneering effort in AI-driven content recommendation.

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In January 2020, a vulnerability was discovered in TikTok's software code that allowed hackers to spoof the app's official SMS messages.

This vulnerability was exploited to gain access to user accounts by replacing legitimate messages with malicious links.

The issue was later patched by TikTok, but not before it had the potential to cause significant harm to users.

TikTok was also found to be tracking Android user data, including MAC addresses and IMEIs, in August 2020.

This was done in violation of Google's policies, highlighting the importance of companies adhering to industry standards.

In August 2022, a software engineer discovered code in in-app browsers from TikTok that was intended for keylogger functionality.

ByteDance's AI focus was clear from the start, but investors missed the mark. Zhang Yiming, the founder, emphasized that Toutiao's value lay in its algorithm powered by AI and machine learning.

Zhang pitched Toutiao to investors in 2012, highlighting its unique approach to content recommendation. Unlike other platforms, Toutiao didn't require explicit user inputs or social graphs to function.

ByteDance's approach to AI was innovative, using big data to analyze user preferences and offer curated content. This was a departure from other online news portals, which relied on more traditional methods.

Investors were skeptical, viewing ByteDance as just another news company. They failed to see the difference, despite Zhang's insistence that they were an AI company in the search and social media business.

TikTok's approach to social media is unique in that it doesn't rely on a social graph like other platforms do.

Unlike Instagram, where you're encouraged to follow friends and family, TikTok serves you content based on your viewing history, re-watches, and likes.

TikTok has little to no reliance on a social graph, which is a refreshing change from traditional social media models that suffer from context collapse.

Context collapse occurs when the value of the product goes down as you add too many friends, making it harder to discover new content.

TikTok's algorithm takes an opinionated view of what users experience, serving you content that's hyper-personalized to your interests.

You don't need to follow anyone on TikTok to get started, which makes it easier to discover new content and creators.

In fact, the author of the article didn't follow a single person on TikTok during their daily use of the app.

TikTok's focus on discovery over searchability is a key aspect of its success, and it's something that sets it apart from other social media platforms.

The blank page problem is a common obstacle that can hold creators back from expressing themselves. This is where platforms like TikTok come in, offering creative solutions to stimulate creativity.

TikTok's approach to tackling the blank page problem is similar to Notion's template strategy, which removes creative obstacles by providing pre-made templates.

By promoting and launching trending hashtags, TikTok gives creators a clear direction and focus for their content. This makes it easier for them to create videos that fit into existing themes and topics.

The result is a boost in creativity and productivity, as creators can quickly use existing templates and themes to produce high-quality content.

TikTok Notes is a new app being worked on by TikTok, which will be a direct competitor to Instagram for photo sharing.

In April 2024, TikTok users started receiving notifications that their current and future picture posts would be shown on TikTok Notes.

TikTok confirmed that Notes is being developed as a separate app, possibly in response to regulatory and consumer scrutiny.

Limited testing of Notes was first released to users in Canada and Australia on April 18.

Notes was initially announced to be shut down on May 8, but no further updates have been provided.