TOPIC

/ company

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

Dougie Joseph (right) is Nina Dobrev’s new man after The Vampire Diaries star ended her engagement to Olympian Shaun White. Photos: @nina, @dougiejoseph/Instagram

Fame and celebrity

Meet Dougie Joseph, Nina Dobrev’s new beau after Olympian Shaun White

The Aussie relocated to New York City to pursue modelling in 2017; his last known relationship was with social media make-up influencer Meredith Duxbury.

18 Jul 2026 - 6:00AM

European Union

EU demands ‘youth mode’ to protect children from addictive social media features

14 Jul 2026 - 7:14PM

Icons and Influencers

Meet Tefi Pessoa, host of Love Island USA’s companion show Aftersun

14 Jul 2026 - 6:01PM

European Union

EU eyes social media curbs for children

Australia, Britain, China, India and the United States have already imposed a social media ban or are ‌considering ‌one.

13 Jul 2026 - 7:34PM

A teenager looks at her smartphone in Brussels. The EU is considering a tiered approach, with under-13s only allowed to use social media for limited periods under the supervision of parents, carers and teachers. Photo: AFP

Indonesia

Tokopedia ‘restructuring’ deepens concerns about Indonesia’s tech winter

Tokopedia’s deeper integration into ByteDance’s ecosystem could shift more operations outside Indonesia, analysts say.

9 Jul 2026 - 6:22PM

Indonesia

‘Grading own homework’: is Indonesia outsourcing online safety to tech giants?

Without a regulator, Indonesia’s child online safety rules require digital platforms to assess and remove underage accounts themselves.

9 Jul 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Sex and relationships

How do you get a girl to fall in love with you? Ask Emily Lin

Emily Lin’s dating advice – such as saying ‘tell me more’, shutting up and listening – on social media has gone viral with men.

8 Jul 2026 - 7:15AM

Emily Lin became a full-time content creator in 2024. Her “School of Women” series on social media teaches straight men emotional literacy and how to develop healthy, fulfilling relationships with women. Photo: Instagram/therealemilylin

Australia

Australian officials tell fans to give Neil the seal some flipping space

Neil, the only male elephant seal to visit Tasmania in years, has commanded an enthralled TikTok following of 1.4 million.

3 Jul 2026 - 12:52PM

US-China relations

US lawmakers push for fewer tax breaks to reduce reliance on China technology

Congressman Nathaniel Moran also warns US business leaders of corporate America’s growing ‘toxic relationship’ with ‘adversary’ Beijing.

4 Jul 2026 - 12:40AMvideocam

Indonesia

Unmarried Indonesian couple get 21 lashes each over viral live stream kiss

About 100 people witnessed the caning, carried out by a group of people wearing robes and hoods on a stage in Banda Aceh.

2 Jul 2026 - 5:18PM

A man reacts to lashing in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Fifa World Cup 2026

Rima Edbouche – the anti-WAG? Meet Ousmane Dembélé’s modest hijabi wife

Ballon d’Or winner of 2025 and Paris Saint-Germain member Dembélé is repping France at the World Cup 2026 – supported by his low-key wife.

1 Jul 2026 - 6:00PM

Ousmane Dembélé with his wife, Rima Edbouche, and daughter after his team Paris Saint-Germain’s victory at the UEFA Champions League Final last May. Photo: Getty Images

South Korea

South Korea ‘fake news’ law triggers free speech, censorship fears

The scope extends beyond social media to malicious reviews and defamatory posts on online communities, delivery apps and shopping platforms.

1 Jul 2026 - 9:32AMvideocam

Britain

My Take | Putting the social media genie back in the bottle will not be easy to do

The determination around the world to crack down on the use of these platforms by children is a response to the mounting evidence of the harm it can do.

27 Jun 2026 - 10:45PM

Australia

Australia PM: ‘too many children on social media’, ban too easy to avoid

According to a British ‌study, 85 per cent of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban took effect.

27 Jun 2026 - 9:21PMvideocam

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at Question Time in the House of Representatives at Australian Parliament House in 2024, in Canberra. Photo: TNS

US-China relations

Opinion | The West must reckon with the reality of China’s rise

Beijing’s emergence as a major power must be navigated with wisdom and respect, rather than framed as a threat that needs to be contained.

17 Jun 2026 - 10:44PM

Britain

UK bans under 16s from social media apps including TikTok, YouTube

The move makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

15 Jun 2026 - 6:48PM

China economy

Opinion | Why Shein’s French fines are a warning to Chinese firms going global

Chinese firms going global can’t just enter foreign markets – they must also work to earn the trust required to stay there.

14 Jun 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

Singapore

Singapore orders social media platforms to block anti-Indian posts

Investigations reveal that the divisive posts likely originated from a China-based platform, minister says.

6 Jun 2026 - 4:15PM

A woman inspects a vegetable stall in the Little India district of Singapore in July 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE

Icons and Influencers

‘Spray 100 times’: inside TikTok’s wild new world of men’s fragrance

From OverSpray Jay’s 100-spritz rule to the rise of dupes, a new generation of obsessive male shoppers is reshaping a multibillion-dollar industry.

4 Jun 2026 - 10:00AM

Malaysia

Malaysia bars under-16s from social media as new rules come into force

Malaysia’s roll-out of strict age-gating rules follows on the heels of Australia and Indonesia in the push to protect children online.

1 Jun 2026 - 10:32AMvideocam

Profile

Micro-drama platform V+Short founders talk content trends and production powerhouses

Angela and Clarissa Tanoesoedibjo, the forces behind newly launched micro drama platform V+Short, on having their fingers on the pulse of viewing trends and positioning the Global South as production hubs.

28 May 2026 - 8:00AM

Angela Tanoesoedibjo (right), president director and CEO of MNC Digital Entertainment, and her sister Clarissa Tanoesoedibjo, CEO of V+Short. Photo: Alexander Mak

ByteDance

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms

A new cinematic tool, Seedance 2.0, can generate feature-length movies for a fraction of traditional costs.

25 May 2026 - 10:30PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Avery Anna, ACM’s New Female Artist of the Year

Her viral TikTok video led to a Nashville recording deal, two full albums and the award, whose previous winners include Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

25 May 2026 - 6:00AM

Icons and Influencers

Meet Meredith Duxbury, the TikTok influencer who walked at Gucci cruise 2027

The TikTok star has gone from viral foundation routine to Gucci runway debut and A-list connections … but is she really dating Orlando Bloom?

24 May 2026 - 6:00PM

Malaysia

Malaysia demands TikTok explain failure to block fake account insulting king

Among the ‘grossly offensive’ posts were false claims that the king ate pork and images with his face superimposed onto animal bodies.

21 May 2026 - 5:28PMvideocam

Malaysia’s king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, attends a meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 9. Photo: Reuters

Pakistan

Video | Killer of Pakistani TikTok teen star sentenced to death

The 22-year-old man shot 17-year-old influencer Sana Yousaf at her home in Islamabad after she repeatedly rejected his advances.

20 May 2026 - 1:00PM

Sana Yousaf in her last video posted to TikTok.

01:04

Pakistan

Pakistan court sentences man to death for killing TikTok teen who refused him

The 22-year-old man shot 17-year-old influencer Sana Yousaf at her home in Islamabad after she repeatedly rejected his advances.

19 May 2026 - 8:47PM

Indonesia

Fake news campaigns in Indonesia linked to military, Prabowo’s party: Amnesty

Amnesty’s findings reflect growing concerns that Indonesia is backsliding towards army rule under former special forces commander Prabowo.

19 May 2026 - 4:48PM

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TikTok

Meet Dougie Joseph, Nina Dobrev’s new beau after Olympian Shaun White

The Aussie relocated to New York City to pursue modelling in 2017; his last known relationship was with social media make-up influencer Meredith Duxbury.

EU demands ‘youth mode’ to protect children from addictive social media features

Meet Tefi Pessoa, host of Love Island USA’s companion show Aftersun

EU eyes social media curbs for children

Australia, Britain, China, India and the United States have already imposed a social media ban or are ‌considering ‌one.

Tokopedia ‘restructuring’ deepens concerns about Indonesia’s tech winter

Tokopedia’s deeper integration into ByteDance’s ecosystem could shift more operations outside Indonesia, analysts say.

‘Grading own homework’: is Indonesia outsourcing online safety to tech giants?

Without a regulator, Indonesia’s child online safety rules require digital platforms to assess and remove underage accounts themselves.

How do you get a girl to fall in love with you? Ask Emily Lin

Emily Lin’s dating advice – such as saying ‘tell me more’, shutting up and listening – on social media has gone viral with men.

Australian officials tell fans to give Neil the seal some flipping space

Neil, the only male elephant seal to visit Tasmania in years, has commanded an enthralled TikTok following of 1.4 million.

US lawmakers push for fewer tax breaks to reduce reliance on China technology

Congressman Nathaniel Moran also warns US business leaders of corporate America’s growing ‘toxic relationship’ with ‘adversary’ Beijing.

Unmarried Indonesian couple get 21 lashes each over viral live stream kiss

About 100 people witnessed the caning, carried out by a group of people wearing robes and hoods on a stage in Banda Aceh.

Rima Edbouche – the anti-WAG? Meet Ousmane Dembélé’s modest hijabi wife

Ballon d’Or winner of 2025 and Paris Saint-Germain member Dembélé is repping France at the World Cup 2026 – supported by his low-key wife.

South Korea ‘fake news’ law triggers free speech, censorship fears

The scope extends beyond social media to malicious reviews and defamatory posts on online communities, delivery apps and shopping platforms.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}My Take | Putting the social media genie back in the bottle will not be easy to do

The determination around the world to crack down on the use of these platforms by children is a response to the mounting evidence of the harm it can do.

Australia PM: ‘too many children on social media’, ban too easy to avoid

According to a British ‌study, 85 per cent of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban took effect.

Opinion | The West must reckon with the reality of China’s rise

Beijing’s emergence as a major power must be navigated with wisdom and respect, rather than framed as a threat that needs to be contained.

UK bans under 16s from social media apps including TikTok, YouTube

The move makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

Opinion | Why Shein’s French fines are a warning to Chinese firms going global

Chinese firms going global can’t just enter foreign markets – they must also work to earn the trust required to stay there.

Singapore orders social media platforms to block anti-Indian posts

Investigations reveal that the divisive posts likely originated from a China-based platform, minister says.

‘Spray 100 times’: inside TikTok’s wild new world of men’s fragrance

From OverSpray Jay’s 100-spritz rule to the rise of dupes, a new generation of obsessive male shoppers is reshaping a multibillion-dollar industry.

Malaysia bars under-16s from social media as new rules come into force

Malaysia’s roll-out of strict age-gating rules follows on the heels of Australia and Indonesia in the push to protect children online.

Micro-drama platform V+Short founders talk content trends and production powerhouses

Angela and Clarissa Tanoesoedibjo, the forces behind newly launched micro drama platform V+Short, on having their fingers on the pulse of viewing trends and positioning the Global South as production hubs.

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms

A new cinematic tool, Seedance 2.0, can generate feature-length movies for a fraction of traditional costs.

Meet Avery Anna, ACM’s New Female Artist of the Year

Her viral TikTok video led to a Nashville recording deal, two full albums and the award, whose previous winners include Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

Meet Meredith Duxbury, the TikTok influencer who walked at Gucci cruise 2027

The TikTok star has gone from viral foundation routine to Gucci runway debut and A-list connections … but is she really dating Orlando Bloom?

Malaysia demands TikTok explain failure to block fake account insulting king

Among the ‘grossly offensive’ posts were false claims that the king ate pork and images with his face superimposed onto animal bodies.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Killer of Pakistani TikTok teen star sentenced to death

The 22-year-old man shot 17-year-old influencer Sana Yousaf at her home in Islamabad after she repeatedly rejected his advances.

Pakistan court sentences man to death for killing TikTok teen who refused him

The 22-year-old man shot 17-year-old influencer Sana Yousaf at her home in Islamabad after she repeatedly rejected his advances.

Fake news campaigns in Indonesia linked to military, Prabowo’s party: Amnesty

Amnesty’s findings reflect growing concerns that Indonesia is backsliding towards army rule under former special forces commander Prabowo.

My Take | Putting the social media genie back in the bottle will not be easy to do

Video | Killer of Pakistani TikTok teen star sentenced to death