bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Yingzhi Yang

Bien Perez

ByteDance, the world’s most valuable start-up, is facing a steep learning curve on its international expansion, as its popular short-video app TikTok gets embroiled in regulatory issues in different overseas markets.
TikTok, known as Douyin in mainland China, has become one of the most heavily downloaded apps worldwide since it was launched in 2016, but that rapid growth has been marred by recent problems with regulators in Indonesia, the United States and India.
“Those problems suggest a lack of investment in local intelligence and local legal advice on the part of ByteDance,” said Paul Haswell, a partner who advises technology companies at international law firm Pinsent Masons.
“With TikTok, ByteDance is learning the hard way about potential penalties if local laws and regulations are not properly researched and followed.”
Short video app TikTok extends reach in global markets
A ByteDance spokeswoman declined further comment on the company’s recent legal issues.
Video-sharing platform TikTok – on which users can watch as well as create short videos with music, stickers and animation as special effects – faced its most adverse regulatory issue in India, a market where the app was estimated by ByteDance to have more than 120 million registered users.
Indian court lifts ban on TikTok video app in victory for China’s Bytedance
A court in southern India’s Tamil Nadu ordered the federal government on April 3 to ban downloads of TikTok, which it said encouraged pornography. The prohibition did not affect those who had already downloaded the app in India.
Apple and Google removed TikTok from their online app stores in India, following a directive from the country’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
That ban resulted in financial losses of up US$500,000 a day and put more than 250 jobs at risk, according to a filing by Beijing-based ByteDance that was reported by Reuters early last week.
Two months before that legal hurdle, the ByteDance app was already the focus of unwanted publicity. A youngster in Tamil Nadu was accused of murdering a friend over a video uploaded to TikTok.
The same Indian state court, however, last week reversed its earlier ruling after a hearing with ByteDance. A senior government official, cited in a Reuters report on April 25, said the electronics and information technology ministry would ask Apple and Google to allow TikTok to return on their app stores once it received the court’s order.
Following the lifting of that ban, TikTok said in a blog post that it will offer “a full suite of 13 advanced safety features, which are designed to protect our Indian users”.
How China’s TikTok app became known all over the world
Helena Lersch, public policy director at ByteDance International, had earlier said the company planned to invest US$1 billion in India and increase the number of staff in the country to 1,000 by the end of this year, according to a report by The Indian Express.
“(About) 25 per cent of that will be just content moderation, which means there is full-time moderation staff based in India,” Lersch said.
In February, ByteDance agreed to pay a US$5.7 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission in the US over TikTok’s illegal collection of personal information from children.
That fine represented the largest penalty handed down in a children’s privacy investigation, according to the commission. It said TikTok, which had merged with Musical.ly in August last year after the karaoke app was acquired by ByteDance, failed to obtain parental consent from users under the age of 13 based on the country’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
TikTok to pay US$5.7 million fine over US child privacy violation claims
A statement from TikTok at that time expressed commitment to “creating measures” that will protect users, including tools for parents to safeguard their kids’ information.
In July last year, authorities in Indonesia banned TikTok for containing “pornography, inappropriate content and blasphemy”.
That ban, however, was lifted a week later after TikTok agreed to remove “all negative content” from the app and open an office in Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, according to the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
“It would have been easy for ByteDance to resolve these international teething problems by obtaining good local legal advice in advance,” Pinsent Masons’ Haswell said. “Any company, no matter where it is based, has to properly research any new market it wants to develop.”
ByteDance is learning the hard way about potential penalties if local laws and regulations are not properly researched and followed
Paul Haswell, partner at Pinsent Masons
The legal minefields TikTok must steer clear of outside China have put more pressure on ByteDance, as growth slows in its home market. The company relies mostly on advertising generated from its core content business.
ByteDance barely met its 2018 revenue target of 50 billion yuan (US$7.4 billion) to 55 billion yuan after a sharper-than-projected slowdown in advertising growth dampened by the country’s deteriorating economy, according to a Bloomberg report in January.
TikTok, however, has greatly extended ByteDance’s reach and helped it raise more financing. The six-year-old company secured a US$75 billion valuation in its most recent fundraising round, vaulting it past Uber Technologies in the global unicorn rankings, after attracting backing from well-heeled investors led by SoftBank Group Corp, KKR & Co and General Atlantic.
Chinese authorities have also introduced tighter regulations covering the country’s thriving short video industry, singling out 100 categories of banned content, from smearing the image of Communist Party leaders to sexual moaning.
TikTok operator ByteDance buys Chinese video gaming start-up
The crackdown is expected to increase the workload of short-video sharing services providers, such as ByteDance, as they are now required to shoulder more responsibility for content censorship on their platforms.
Founded by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming, ByteDance has evolved into a multifaceted content empire spanning Tik Tok and other platforms for news, humour to celebrity gossip.
Despite its international missteps, ByteDance is not the only Chinese technology company encountering tough challenges outside the world’s second largest economy, according to Haswell.
On the flip side, many Western companies have had challenges breaking into China, he said. “It’s all down to making sure that you do the research before acting in a foreign market.”


ByteDance faces global learning curve as TikTok runs afoul of local regulators

TikTok has become one of the most heavily downloaded apps worldwide since it was launched in 2016. Photo: Bloomberg

The legal minefields TikTok must steer clear of outside China have put more pressure on ByteDance, as growth slows in its home market. Photo: Reuters

Tech

Business

China Business


TikTok’s rapid expansion has been marred by regulatory problems in India, the United States and Indonesia



The rapid overseas expansion of TikTok has been marred by regulatory problems in India, the United States and Indonesia.


TikTok

Apps

China technology