TikTok is a popular video sharing app that has seen massive growth since launching in 2016. Originally created by Chinese company ByteDance as Douyin, the app was designed for the Chinese market before being launched internationally as TikTok the following year. Since then, TikTok has been downloaded over 3.3 billion times globally and has over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022 (Source).
Despite being owned by a Chinese company, TikTok is actually banned in China. While very popular across the rest of the world, Chinese regulations prohibit the app from being downloaded or used in the country. This is due to the government’s strict internet policies and censorship, data privacy concerns, and preference for Chinese alternatives. The Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, operates separately and is heavily monitored.
TikTok’s Origins
TikTok was created by the Chinese technology company ByteDance. It was originally launched as Douyin in China in September 2016. Douyin quickly gained popularity in China as a short-form video app. In 2017, ByteDance launched an international version of the app called TikTok for markets outside of China.
According to Wikipedia, TikTok was launched internationally in September 2017. It quickly became one of the most downloaded apps, reaching the #1 spot in the US by October 2018.
TikTok’s Popularity
In just a few short years, TikTok has grown to become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. As of early 2023, TikTok had over 1 billion monthly active users globally, up from over 689 million global users in 2020 (Source). TikTok’s revenue also surged to an estimated $9.4 billion in 2022, more than double the previous year (Source). The app has seen massive growth, especially among younger demographics in the US and Europe.
However, within China, TikTok has struggled to gain traction. The Chinese version of TikTok, known as Douyin, has just over 600 million monthly active users in China (Source). While still highly popular, Douyin has lagged behind domestic competitors. China’s strict internet regulations and preference for homegrown platforms has made growth difficult for TikTok in its home market.
China’s Strict Internet Policies
The Chinese government maintains strict control over the internet and social media. China’s “Great Firewall” heavily filters and blocks access to foreign websites and apps. According to Wikipedia, many Western social media sites and apps are blocked in China, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Western news outlets.
The Chinese government claims that internet censorship is necessary to maintain social stability and prevent the spread of socially destabilizing content. However, human rights groups argue that it infringes on freedom of expression and prevents Chinese citizens from accessing information freely. According to Human Rights Watch, the Great Firewall has had a significant impact on generations in China who have grown up isolated from global internet culture and discourse.
Data and Privacy Concerns
TikTok has faced scrutiny in China over data privacy issues. According to one report from Congress, critics allege the Chinese government influences ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, and may be able to access user data or control the content shown to users [1]. There are concerns that Americans’ data could fall into the hands of the Chinese government, given that the parent company ByteDance is based in China [2].
When TikTok was becoming hugely popular worldwide, Chinese officials began to voice concerns about data being accessed by a foreign company. They worried about the large volumes of data TikTok was accumulating on Chinese citizens [3]. This was one of the main reasons cited for blocking TikTok in China and restricting its growth.
Competition with Domestic Apps
TikTok competes directly against some of China’s most popular video sharing apps, including Douyin and Kuaishou. Both Douyin, which is owned by Bytedance and is essentially the Chinese version of TikTok, and Kuaishou are massively popular in China with hundreds of millions of monthly active users each.
The Chinese government has actively supported the growth of these domestic internet companies as part of its “homegrown innovation” initiatives. By banning foreign apps like TikTok, China helps ensure that user attention and data flows to Chinese companies rather than leaving the country.
Some analysts argue that restricting TikTok’s growth in China also serves as a form of protectionism, allowing Chinese apps to gain strength and scale before having to compete head-to-head with foreign rivals. The end result is reduced competition and greater dominance of the Chinese tech giants within their domestic market.
Overall, banning TikTok in China aligns with the government’s broader industrial policy of promoting domestic internet platforms over foreign ones. It helps strengthen and grow companies like Douyin and Kuaishou rather than allowing TikTok to compete for market share.
Censorship and Control
The Chinese government blocks apps and websites that allow free exchange of information that could undermine the regime’s control. This strict censorship is enabled by the “Great Firewall of China,” which filters and blocks access to foreign websites and apps Internet censorship in China. TikTok’s popularity and reach posed a threat to the Chinese government’s ability to control information shared among citizens. With over 800 million users globally, TikTok provided a platform for communication and self-expression that would be difficult for the government to restrict and monitor In China, the ‘Great Firewall’ Is Changing a Generation. Allowing unfiltered access to TikTok could undermine the government’s heavy censorship and enable the spread of information they want to suppress.
Impact on TikTok
Being banned in China, one of the largest markets in the world, has prevented TikTok from reaching its full growth potential. However, TikTok has still experienced enormous growth globally. TikTok currently has over 1 billion monthly active users globally, making it one of the most popular apps in the world (Source). The app sees over 2 billion downloads per year and generated $4.6 billion in revenue in 2022. While the China ban limits TikTok’s addressable market, the app has clearly flourished outside of China. The ban prevents TikTok from accessing the 750+ million daily active Douyin users in China (Source). However, TikTok has compensated by aggressively expanding in other major markets like the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Attempts to Re-enter China
Despite its origins in China, TikTok has struggled to re-enter the Chinese market since being acquired by ByteDance in 2017. This is due to China’s strict internet regulations and data privacy laws that TikTok has failed to fully comply with so far. According to a report by Bloomberg, TikTok has tried to make changes to its app to adhere to Chinese censorship and monitoring requirements, but these efforts have not yet satisfied regulators (1).
Specifically, China has criticized TikTok for failing to censor politically sensitive content and for allowing the spread of material considered subversive by the Chinese Communist Party. China also demands unfettered access to user data stored by social media companies. TikTok has reportedly made concessions like storing Chinese user data within China. However, its efforts to win approval so far have not succeeded.
As experts from The Conversation explain, TikTok faces an uphill battle to re-enter China given the government’s goals to control online content and promote domestic tech companies over foreign ones (2). Unless TikTok makes further changes to align with Chinese internet regulations, its path back into the Chinese market remains challenging.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several key reasons why TikTok is currently banned in China. First, China has strict internet policies and censorship, aiming to control online content. TikTok’s fun, lighthearted content does not align with China’s goals. Second, there are data privacy concerns, as TikTok collects user data which could be accessed by foreign entities. China wants data on Chinese citizens to remain within the country. Third, TikTok poses strong competition to China’s domestic video apps like Douyin. By banning TikTok, the government removes a major competitor. Finally, there are concerns about China losing control over content available to Chinese youth if TikTok was allowed.
The outlook for TikTok re-entering China remains uncertain. Unless ByteDance can assuage the government’s concerns through compromise and self-censorship, TikTok is likely to remain blocked. However, with TikTok’s continued growth and popularity, the Chinese government may seek ways to eventually allow it back into the Chinese market under strict supervision. The cat-and-mouse game between TikTok and Chinese regulators continues.
