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TikTok

Latest news and updates on TikTok, the globally popular social media platform. The app, which merged with Musical.ly in 2018, lets users create short videos under a minute long complete with visual effects and background music. It has since come under scrutiny in countries like the US and India because it is owned by a Chinese company. Critics have accused the app of posing a national security risk, a claim that TikTok has repeatedly denied. Known as Douyin in China, the app is owned by Beijing-based startup ByteDance, also behind the Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao.

Chairman / President

Zhang Yiming

CEO / Managing Director

Shou Zi Chew

CFO / Finance Director

Julie Gao

Industry

Social Media

Website

tiktok.com

Headquarters address

Culver City, 5800 Bristol Pkwy, United States

Year founded

2016

The investigation will also look at claims the retailer “underestimated the risks” of selling illegal products. Photo: dpa

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China technology

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US-China relations

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Xi Jinping and Donald Trump are expected to meet in Beijing in early April as officials work to stabilise economic ties and manage strategic tensions. Photo: Getty Images

China-EU relations

Exclusive | Cold shoulder? China, EU in diplomatic stand-off ahead of Munich showdown

Annual security conference could provide rare venue for high-level EU-China talks as top diplomats Wang Yi and Kaja Kallas attend.

11 Feb 2026 - 7:43PMvideocam

US-China relations

China, Trump targeted in House hearing on foreign influence in US non-profits

Claims made at Congressional hearing that network of foreign donors paid American advocacy groups billions to try to influence US policy.

11 Feb 2026 - 6:31AMvideocam

Fashion

In conversation: Bohan Qiu and Ian Hylton on Chinese luxury fashion

Hylton is known for his eponymous label as well as his work on the brand Ms Min, while Qiu is the founder of Shanghai PR agency Boh Project.

13 Feb 2026 - 1:56PM

Bohan Qiu (left) and Ian Hylton at the latter’s in-house residency at Rosewood Hong Kong’s Beaureguards boutique. Photo: Alexander Mak

United States

California court begins social media trial amid mental health concerns

The case ‌will determine whether Instagram and YouTube harmed a woman’s mental health through addictive app design, testing Big Tech’s liability.

9 Feb 2026 - 10:35PM

Artificial intelligence

ByteDance’s new model sparks stock rally as China’s AI video battle escalates

Seedance 2.0 thrills early adopters with cinematic realism and fuels debate over AI’s role in filmmaking and content creation.

9 Feb 2026 - 6:30PM

My Take

My Take | TikTok deal good for Chinese owners but terrible for users in the United States

The social media platform, now majority owned by Americans, will herald a new era of state control and corporate manipulation of US citizens.

8 Feb 2026 - 10:15PM

TikTok ban

TikTok ‘addictive’, EU finds in digital law probe

European Commission cites TikTok’s ‘highly personalised’ system, slams safeguards as ineffective.

7 Feb 2026 - 12:58PM

News of the findings comes amid a fierce debate in Europe about the impact of social media platforms on children’s mental health. Photo: Reuters

ByteDance

TikTok tax time: ByteDance ‘encourages’ Chinese staff to declare global income

ByteDance’s notice to overseas staff reflects Beijing’s widening net over citizens’ foreign income.

5 Feb 2026 - 7:30PM

Food and Drinks

On the Menu | How to become a real ‘Chinese baddie’? It’s more than just drinking hot water

TikTokkers claim they’re ‘becoming Chinese’ because they drink hot water, but achieving true ‘Chinese baddie’ status is much harder.

5 Feb 2026 - 10:08AM

Icons and Influencers

Nadya Okamoto on challenging norms through menstrual care activism

With nearly 4.5 million TikTok followers, the entrepreneur – who also started a non-profit to combat period poverty – has clearly struck a chord.

30 Jan 2026 - 8:00AM

Social entrepreneur and menstrual care activist Nadya Okamoto founded two enterprises focusing on women’s health before she was 23. Photo: Handout

US-China relations

Opinion | Trump’s power politics is paving the way to a G2 world order with China

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29 Jan 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

US-China relations

TikTok cites glitch as California probes alleged Trump-critical censorship

Governor Gavin Newsom launches state review after reports of blocked posts, as TikTok blames a data-centre outage days after its US deal.

28 Jan 2026 - 9:02AMvideocam

France

Macron pushes forward France’s social media ban for under 15s

France’s health watchdog said that 90 per cent of children between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet.

25 Jan 2026 - 7:47PM

US-China relations

Who are the owners of the new TikTok US entity?

Private equity firms, tech giants and existing ByteDance backers make up the investor group behind the newly created US venture.

24 Jan 2026 - 7:09AMvideocam

A new investor-backed US entity will operate TikTok’s American business following years of political and legal uncertainty. Photo: Kyodo

ByteDance

TikTok US joint venture seen resembling Apple’s China iCloud deal

ByteDance retains algorithms and intellectual property rights and remains the largest single shareholder of the new joint venture.

23 Jan 2026 - 10:00PM

US-China relations

TikTok confirms deal to create new US venture, averting shutdown by a few hours

Beijing has not officially confirmed the agreement to secure the platform’s future for 170 million Americans.

23 Jan 2026 - 11:10AMvideocam

Canada

Canada court overturns government order to shut down TikTok’s operations

The decision comes as Mark Carney seeks closer ties to China to offset the effect of Trump’s tariffs.

22 Jan 2026 - 5:29AMvideocam

Canada’s industry ministry had ordered TikTok’s business to be dissolved, citing national security risks. Photo illustration: Reuters

China trade

Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

The old Canton system is re-emerging in a new guise as the likes of TikTok and Starbucks look to middlemen to navigate a divided global economy.

16 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Customers flock to the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant in Xining, the capital of northwest China’s Qinghai province, on December 21, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

Australia

Australian social media ban: Meta shuts 550,000 children’s accounts

Australia’s ban on social media usage for under 16s, a world’s first, came into effect on December 10.

12 Jan 2026 - 11:29AMvideocam

US-China relations

California progressive to lead Democrats on influential House China panel

Ro Khanna to replace Illinois Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is making a Senate run, on the House Select Committee monitoring China.

6 Jan 2026 - 7:08AMvideocam

Britain

UK begins ‘world-leading’ junk food ad ban to curb childhood obesity

Restrictions on daytime television and paid online advertisements are part of a US$2.7 billion preventive health strategy.

5 Jan 2026 - 7:36PM

The UK’s junk food ad restrictions aim to cut billions of calories from children’s diets. Photo: Shutterstock

Fame and celebrity

Explainer | What is the relationship ‘swag gap’? Just ask Hailey and Justin Bieber

It’s been 2 years since the Biebers attended a Rhode beauty drop in wildly different outfits – and TikTok seems to think such ‘swag gaps’ are relationship deal-breakers.

5 Jan 2026 - 6:00PM

Justin Bieber (left) and Hailey Bieber at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Photo: Getty Images

Malaysia

Malaysia moves to regulate WhatsApp, Facebook and others under online safety law

The decision to deem major platforms licensed regardless of application closes a regulatory gap, but questions remain over enforcement.

1 Jan 2026 - 5:50PM

Artificial intelligence

Poland urges Brussels probe TikTok over AI-generated ‘EU exit’ content

TikTok removes content as Warsaw suspects Russia is behind synthetic videos calling for Poland’s exit from the EU.

31 Dec 2025 - 2:34PM

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TikTok

Chinese e-commerce giant Shein could face EU ban over ‘childlike sex dolls’

Investigation will also look at the systems the online retailer uses to ensure illegal products are not being sold in Europe.

Humanoids go mainstream as China’s robotics champions appear at CCTV spectacle

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | ‘Becoming Chinese’ memes reflect a world shaped by China’s ascent

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | China confirms talks with US about Trump visit as trade truce stays on the cards

US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping may roll back tariffs for up to a year as officials seek short-term economic wins.

Exclusive | Cold shoulder? China, EU in diplomatic stand-off ahead of Munich showdown

Annual security conference could provide rare venue for high-level EU-China talks as top diplomats Wang Yi and Kaja Kallas attend.

China, Trump targeted in House hearing on foreign influence in US non-profits

Claims made at Congressional hearing that network of foreign donors paid American advocacy groups billions to try to influence US policy.

In conversation: Bohan Qiu and Ian Hylton on Chinese luxury fashion

Hylton is known for his eponymous label as well as his work on the brand Ms Min, while Qiu is the founder of Shanghai PR agency Boh Project.

California court begins social media trial amid mental health concerns

The case ‌will determine whether Instagram and YouTube harmed a woman’s mental health through addictive app design, testing Big Tech’s liability.

ByteDance’s new model sparks stock rally as China’s AI video battle escalates

Seedance 2.0 thrills early adopters with cinematic realism and fuels debate over AI’s role in filmmaking and content creation.

My Take | TikTok deal good for Chinese owners but terrible for users in the United States

The social media platform, now majority owned by Americans, will herald a new era of state control and corporate manipulation of US citizens.

TikTok ‘addictive’, EU finds in digital law probe

European Commission cites TikTok’s ‘highly personalised’ system, slams safeguards as ineffective.

TikTok tax time: ByteDance ‘encourages’ Chinese staff to declare global income

ByteDance’s notice to overseas staff reflects Beijing’s widening net over citizens’ foreign income.

On the Menu | How to become a real ‘Chinese baddie’? It’s more than just drinking hot water

TikTokkers claim they’re ‘becoming Chinese’ because they drink hot water, but achieving true ‘Chinese baddie’ status is much harder.

Nadya Okamoto on challenging norms through menstrual care activism

With nearly 4.5 million TikTok followers, the entrepreneur – who also started a non-profit to combat period poverty – has clearly struck a chord.

Opinion | Trump’s power politics is paving the way to a G2 world order with China

Trump’s actions signal an openness to G2, give China leverage with US allies and open the door for other powers to use coercive force.

TikTok cites glitch as California probes alleged Trump-critical censorship

Governor Gavin Newsom launches state review after reports of blocked posts, as TikTok blames a data-centre outage days after its US deal.

Macron pushes forward France’s social media ban for under 15s

France’s health watchdog said that 90 per cent of children between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet.

Who are the owners of the new TikTok US entity?

Private equity firms, tech giants and existing ByteDance backers make up the investor group behind the newly created US venture.

TikTok US joint venture seen resembling Apple’s China iCloud deal

ByteDance retains algorithms and intellectual property rights and remains the largest single shareholder of the new joint venture.

TikTok confirms deal to create new US venture, averting shutdown by a few hours

Beijing has not officially confirmed the agreement to secure the platform’s future for 170 million Americans.

Canada court overturns government order to shut down TikTok’s operations

The decision comes as Mark Carney seeks closer ties to China to offset the effect of Trump’s tariffs.

Opinion | From tea to TikTok: the middleman’s return is reshaping China trade

The old Canton system is re-emerging in a new guise as the likes of TikTok and Starbucks look to middlemen to navigate a divided global economy.

Australian social media ban: Meta shuts 550,000 children’s accounts

Australia’s ban on social media usage for under 16s, a world’s first, came into effect on December 10.

California progressive to lead Democrats on influential House China panel

Ro Khanna to replace Illinois Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is making a Senate run, on the House Select Committee monitoring China.

UK begins ‘world-leading’ junk food ad ban to curb childhood obesity

Restrictions on daytime television and paid online advertisements are part of a US$2.7 billion preventive health strategy.

Explainer | What is the relationship ‘swag gap’? Just ask Hailey and Justin Bieber

It’s been 2 years since the Biebers attended a Rhode beauty drop in wildly different outfits – and TikTok seems to think such ‘swag gaps’ are relationship deal-breakers.

Malaysia moves to regulate WhatsApp, Facebook and others under online safety law

The decision to deem major platforms licensed regardless of application closes a regulatory gap, but questions remain over enforcement.

Poland urges Brussels probe TikTok over AI-generated ‘EU exit’ content

TikTok removes content as Warsaw suspects Russia is behind synthetic videos calling for Poland’s exit from the EU.

Opinion | ‘Becoming Chinese’ memes reflect a world shaped by China’s ascent

Exclusive | China confirms talks with US about Trump visit as trade truce stays on the cards