TikTok does not operate in mainland China. Myth: Under its 2017 National Intelligence law, the Chinese government can compel ByteDance to share Australian TikTok user data. Fact: Australian TikTok user data is stored in Singapore, Malaysia and the US and subject to local laws.
But the wildly popular platform, developed with homegrown Chinese technology, isn't accessible in China. In fact, it's never existed there. Instead, there's a different version of TikTok — a sister app called Douyin.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese technology company Bytedance but it insists it is run independently and does not share data with the Chinese government. It is currently carrying out a project to store US user data in Texas, which it says will put it out of China's reach.
The Communist Party's extensive internet filters block most users in China from seeing TikTok. ByteDance has said TikTok has “no affiliation” with Beijing ByteDance Technology Co., the subsidiary that operates Douyin; Toutiao, a news and short-video platform, and other services.
No, TikTok is not banned in China, it just isn't available under the same name. Although it is true that TikTok is not available for download in mainland China, it is not banned. The Chinese version of TikTok is actually the original version of the app, called Douyin.
In Japan, the use of TikTok and other social networking services (SNSs) are prohibited on government devices that handle confidential information. Nakayama said further restrictions should be considered only after looking into their data-handling and other operations.
In Hong Kong, there's no need to imagine that reality: TikTok discontinued its services there in 2020. Its abrupt departure was met with mixed reactions: disappointment from some users and content creators, but also relief from others who say life is better without the app's infinite scroll.
Instead, there's a different version of TikTok — a sister app called Douyin. Both are owned by Beijing-based parent company ByteDance, but Douyin launched before TikTok and became a viral sensation in China. Its powerful algorithm became the foundation for TikTok and is key to its global success.
On March 1, TikTok announced that it's setting a 60-minute default time limit per day for users under 18. Those under 13 would need a code entered by their parents to have an additional 30 minutes, while those between 13 and 18 can make that decision for themselves.
The Chinese version of Tiktok, Douyin has much more advanced e-commerce features. Users are able to directly link to products on Taobao, JingDong and the like when publishing videos or hosting a livestream. With just three clicks, users can buy a product featured in a video.
Afghanistan banned TikTok in September 2022 for "misleading the younger generation," but it is not clear how well the ban is being enforced [read more]. TikTok is also blocked in Iran and North Korea, but both these countries have highly censored internet, so it is not necessarily a TikTok-specific ban.
The Indian government banned TikTok in June 2020, along with several other Chinese apps, over national security concerns.
China. YouTube was first blocked in China for over five months from October 16, 2007 to March 22, 2008. It was blocked again from March 24, 2009, although a Foreign Ministry spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny whether YouTube had been blocked. Since then, YouTube has been inaccessible from mainland China.
Like Facebook, YouTube, Google, and Twitter, Instagram is also banned in China. It is also not in any Chinese app stores. If you will try to use the app from the country, it will show an error message on your screen. Here is the list of websites that are blocked in mainland China.
Facebook is just one of the sites and social media platforms banned by the Chinese government. China controls the content that goes on the internet. As such, it makes decisions on what sites are allowed. Any content that the government considers against the state is banned, deleted, or restricted.
Well, the Chinese government has blocked WhatsApp since 2017. This means you can't send texts, share images and make voice or video calls using the app in China. However, there's good news. With a VPN, you can get around a geoblock and access WhatsApp.
While TikTok has become the most popular app in the rest of the world, a domestic version called Douyin is available to Chinese consumers. TikTok is burrowing into the devices — and the brains — of teens and tweens around the world.
Douyin is Chinese version of TikTok, and the only version of the platform available to people living in China. It's also owned by ByteDance and it's been around since 2016. Like the international version TikTok, Douyin also provides users with a feed of video content tailored to their interests and preferences.
Although they're owned by the same company, China's version of TikTok offers a child-friendly version, with educational videos and a time limit, that isn't offered in the U.S.
Despite not exhibiting overtly malicious behavior, Douyin contains features that raise privacy and security concerns, such as dynamic code loading and server-side search censorship. TikTok does not contain these features. TikTok and Douyin's Android apps share many parts of their source code.
Douyin makeup is actually an umbrella term for a broad makeup style, defined by soft and ethereal looks that give a doll-like appearance. The name comes from the social media app, Douyin, which ByteDance created in 2016 and is exclusive to China.
Fact: TikTok's parent company ByteDance Ltd. was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, but today, roughly sixty percent of the company is beneficially owned by global institutional investors such as Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, and Susquehanna International Group.
The PTA lifted the ban in April 2021 after TikTok assured them it would "filter and moderate content".
New Zealand. New Zealand announced TikTok would be banned from all of its parliamentary devices on 17 March 2023. The country's MPs were informed via email from the parliamentary service stating: “The Service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand parliament environment.