TikTok’s Chinese owner mulls overhaul of app’s corporate structure amid overseas backlash
- TikTok and its Chinese version Douyin were the most downloaded non-game app in the first half of the year, with 626 million installs, says Sensor Tower
- TikTok was also one of the 59 Chinese apps banned by India last week following a deadly border clash with China last month
Chinese tech giant ByteDance is considering an overhaul of TikTok’s corporate structure as it seeks to distance the popular short video app from Beijing amid a political backlash in markets including the US and India.
“As we consider the best path forward, ByteDance is evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business,” a TikTok representative said in an emailed response to the Post.
Senior executives of the company are reportedly looking at options such as establishing a TikTok headquarters outside China or setting up a separate management board to distance the app from the Chinese owner, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed source.
“We remain fully committed to protecting our users' privacy and security as we build a platform that inspires creativity and brings joy for hundreds of millions of people around the world. We will move forward in the best interest of our users, employees, artists, creators, partners, and policymakers,” the representative told the Post.
TikTok has shot to global fame since its launch in 2017. It was the most downloaded non-game app in the first half of the year, with 626 million installs across both the App Store and Google Play, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower. The figure included the iOS version of its Chinese version Douyin.
However, the reception has abruptly cooled in several markets due to its ties to China and rising tensions between the world’s two biggest economies. The US Department of State, Homeland Security and the US military have already prohibited the app on government devices, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns.