TikTok: News
TikTok is an extremely popular video-sharing social networking service headquartered in China. Owned by a Beijing-based internet technology company named ByteDance, the app was founded in 2016 with a mission “to inspire creativity and bring joy.” In 2018, it merged with Shanghai-based social media service, musical.ly, and became available globally. Apart from Beijing, TikTok has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. TikTok allows one to make music and lip-sync videos lasting some 3 to 15 seconds, and short looping videos of 3 to 60 seconds. The platform is regularly in the news for new features, some of which are new and some of which are imitations of features already implemented by other mainstream social media platforms. In early August of 2021, TikTok confirmed that it is testing a new Stories feature with a small subset of users. The feature is reminiscent of Instagram’s Stories feature which has been around for far longer.
How TikTok is ensuring safety of its teen users
TikTok has announced a major update to its platform, introducing a range of new features aimed at enhancing user experience.
Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign earns flak: Controversy explained
A new advertising campaign for American Eagle featuring actor Sydney Sweeney has sparked a major online controversy. Critics have accused the advertisement of promoting eugenics through its punny use of the phrase "great jeans."
How the iPhone's Notes app is being used to cheat
The iPhone's Notes app, a go-to platform for jotting down grocery lists or reminders, has been co-opted by some users for a more nefarious purpose: cheating.
After 3 lifelines, Trump threatens to shutdown TikTok in US
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has warned that TikTok could be banned in the country if China doesn't approve a deal for the sale of the app.
'Papa Jake' Larson, WWII veteran, TikTok star, dies at 102
World War II veteran and TikTok sensation "Papa Jake" Larson has passed away at the age of 102.
Blackstone does not want stake in TikTok US anymore
Private equity giant Blackstone has withdrawn from a consortium looking to invest in TikTok's US operations.
CEO in Coldplay kiss-cam is worth millions—Inside Andy Byron's fortune
Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, a tech company valued at over $1.3 billion, is at the center of a controversy after a video of him and Kristin Cabot, the company's Chief People Officer, went viral.
Austrian privacy group files complaints against TikTok, AliExpress, WeChat
Austrian privacy advocacy group NOYB has filed data privacy complaints against Chinese companies AliExpress, TikTok, and WeChat.
TikTok's new feature puts songwriters front and center
TikTok has announced a new feature that will allow songwriters to showcase their own or co-written songs on their profiles.
5 EU nations trial age-verification app amid child safety push
The European Commission has announced that France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece will trial a new age verification app.
TikTok readies new app for US users ahead of sale
TikTok is all set to launch a new version of its video streaming app in the US on September 5, as per The Information.
TikTok plans layoffs in e-commerce division amid US market challenges
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are reportedly preparing for layoffs, particularly in the e-commerce division, TikTok Shop.
Trump says 'very wealthy' group ready to buy TikTok
US President Donald Trump has revealed that he has found a buyer for TikTok, the popular video-sharing app facing shutdown in the country.
TikTok's latest feature is similar to Instagram's broadcast channels
TikTok is testing a new messaging tool called "bulletin boards," the company confirmed to TechCrunch.
ChatGPT records 29.5M downloads on iPhones in just 28 days
The ChatGPT app has witnessed an extraordinary surge in popularity, racking up over 29.5 million downloads on iPhones globally in the past 28 days.
Trump extends TikTok sale deadline to September
US President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for TikTok's ban by another 90 days to mid September.
Donald Trump extends US TikTok sale deadline for third time
President Donald Trump has once again extended the deadline for TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The new deadline is now set for mid-September.
Trump says he may delay TikTok ban in US again
US President Donald Trump has said that he may extend the deadline for China-based tech giant ByteDance to divest its American operations of TikTok.
Why TikTok star Khaby Lame was forced to exit US
Khabane "Khaby" Lame, the most-followed TikTok personality globally, was recently detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Las Vegas.
Apple adds camera control and studio audio recording to AirPods
Apple has announced two new features for its AirPods lineup: "Camera Remote" and "Studio-Quality Audio Recording."
ChatGPT hits 1B daily searches 5.5x faster than Google
OpenAI's ChatGPT has hit a major milestone, clocking over one billion daily search requests.
TikTok's latest platform helps artists better connect with their fans
TikTok has officially launched "TikTok for Artists," a music insights platform aimed at helping artists build their careers.
17-year-old Pakistani TikTok star shot dead; police suspect honor killing
Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old TikTok star from Pakistan, was shot dead in her Islamabad home on Monday.
Miley Cyrus drops new album 'Something Beautiful'
Miley Cyrus has finally dropped her much-awaited ninth studio album, titled Something Beautiful.
US suspends student visa appointments, plans expanded social media vetting
The United States State Department has temporarily halted scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students. This decision comes as the department prepares to expand its social media vetting process for all student visa applicants.
TikTok's new AI tool converts your photos into short videos
TikTok has launched an interesting AI-powered feature, "AI Alive," to convert photos into videos.
Trump willing to delay TikTok ban in US again
US President Donald Trump has said that he is willing to delay the TikTok ban again.
China rejects data access claims following TikTok's major EU penalty
After the European Union (EU) slapped TikTok with a massive fine, China has denied any obligation for the company to hand over any data to it.
TikTok slapped with €530M fine in EU over data protection
TikTok has been slapped with a hefty €530 million fine by the main privacy regulator in the European Union (EU).
TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, eyes data center in Brazil
ByteDance, the Chinese parent of TikTok, is considering a major investment in a Brazilian data center.
Myanmar TikTok astrologer arrested for predicting another strong earthquake
John Moe The, a popular TikTok astrologer with over 300,000 followers, has been arrested by Myanmar authorities for allegedly inciting panic.
Meta's 'Edits,' a rival to CapCut, launches globally
Meta has officially launched Edits, a CapCut-like video-creation app. The app is now available globally on iOS and Android.
Instagram now lets you share your Reels feed with friends
Instagram has launched a new feature, called "Blend," to generate a unique Reels feed for you and your friends.
Chinese man seen fighting for Russia; says TikTok convinced him
Thirty-four-year-old Chinese soldier Wang Guangjun, who was captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, has said propaganda on TikTok had a major role to play in his decision to join the war.
Gemini AI now lets you create videos from text prompts
Google has integrated its cutting-edge video-generating artificial intelligence (AI) model, Veo 2, into Gemini Advanced.
Trump reveals why China blocked TikTok US sale deal
President Donald Trump has revealed that China's objections to new tariffs have stalled a deal for the popular social media app, TikTok.
Sell TikTok to get tariff relief: Trump tells China
US President Donald Trump has proposed slashing tariff on Chinese goods, provided China allows a US firm to purchase TikTok's operations.
Trump offers TikTok another 75 days to find US buyer
US President Donald Trump has decided to extend the deadline for a potential TikTok ban in the country by another 75 days.
TikTok faces €500M fine for transferring EU data to China
TikTok's parent company ByteDance Ltd. is staring at a privacy fine of over €500 million.
Amazon makes last-minute bid for TikTok amid US ban threat
In a last-minute bid, Amazon has reportedly offered to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Trump to discuss TikTok's US sale in key meeting today
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a meeting today over the possible divestiture of TikTok's US operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, according to Bloomberg.
Director who offered film to Monalisa arrested in rape case
Sanoj Mishra (45), the director who recently offered a film to viral sensation Monalisa at the Maha Kumbh Mela, was arrested on Sunday.
TikTok's US sale will be completed before April 5: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said that a deal for the sale of TikTok's operations in the country will be finalized before the April 5 deadline.
Apple continues to reign supreme as world's most valuable brand
Brand Finance, a UK-based brand valuation consultancy, has released its Global 500 list for 2025.
Instagram's new feature lets you watch reels at 2x speed
Instagram now lets users speed up Reels by long-pressing the right or left edge of the screen, which allows them to play at twice the speed.
Facebook's new 'Friends' tab lets you ditch algorithmic clutter
In a bid to cut down on algorithm-driven suggestions on its main feed, Facebook is introducing a new "Friends" tab.
Trump may reduce tariffs on China to fast-track TikTok deal
US President Donald Trump has indicated the possibility of reducing tariffs on China, in an effort to speed up ByteDance's sale of TikTok's US business.
Perplexity confirms interest in acquiring TikTok, plans a major overhaul
Perplexity, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, has confirmed its interest in acquiring TikTok.
How Oracle's plan may save TikTok from impending US ban
Leading tech giant Oracle is said to be close to a deal to protect TikTok from a ban in the US.
TikTok's US future may be decided by April 5: Vance
US Vice President JD Vance has expressed optimism over a possible deal for TikTok's future in the country.
TikTok's future in US remains uncertain as ban deadline nears
TikTok is on the verge of getting banned in the United States, with April 5 being the decisive day.
Ex-Microsoft techie—with $65B net worth—is now China's richest person
Zhang Yiming, the co-founder and former CEO of ByteDance, has been crowned the richest person in China by Forbes.
Indonesia: TikToker gets prison sentence for joking about Jesus's hair
An Indonesian TikToker named Ratu Thalisa has received a sentence of two years and 10 months in prison for her controversial remark on Jesus.
US in talks with 4 groups to buy TikTok: Trump
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration is talking to four different groups who want to buy Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok.
Mindy Kaling says anything with Meghan Markle becomes 'big news'
Mindy Kaling has defended her friend Meghan Markle amid the backlash following an episode of Markle's new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian wants to buy TikTok
Reddit co-founder and prominent venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian has joined billionaire entrepreneur Frank McCourt's bid to acquire TikTok's US operations.
YouTube sensation MrBeast seeks funding at $5B valuation
YouTube sensation MrBeast, known off-screen as Jimmy Donaldson, is looking to raise a few hundred million dollars to grow his business empire.
11-year-old girl kills self after bullies threaten to deport parents
An 11-year-old girl from Gainesville, Texas, died by suicide after allegedly being bullied over her family's immigration status.
Amazon discontinues its TikTok-like feed for discovering new products
Amazon has officially killed 'Inspire,' a TikTok-like feature for finding new products in its mobile app.
Why 'White Lotus' iconic intro music was changed in S03
The much-awaited third season premiere of The White Lotus on Monday (IST) came with a major change—its intro music.
TikTok reinstated on US app stores but future remains uncertain
Popular short-video platform TikTok has been reinstated on Apple and Google app stores in the US.
No interest in acquiring TikTok, says Elon Musk
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly dismissed any interest in acquiring the popular short-video app TikTok.
You can now download TikTok from its website in US
Popular short video platform TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, has launched a new way for its US-based Android users to access the app.
Trump's new sovereign wealth fund may soon purchase TikTok
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to create a US sovereign wealth fund.
US-born teen killed by father in Pakistan over TikTok videos
In a shocking incident, a 15-year-old girl was shot dead by her father in Pakistan's Quetta, over her TikTok activity.
LAPD debunks viral 'help' messages spotted on Google Earth
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has debunked concerns raised by social media users over mysterious "help" messages spotted in a downtown Los Angeles lot through Google Earth images.
Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok, confirms Trump
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that tech giant Microsoft is in talks to buy the popular social media platform, TikTok.
Why TikTok isn't back on app stores despite Trump's reprieve
TikTok's future in the US continues to be uncertain as both Apple and Google have not restored the popular short video app on their app stores.
Perplexity's revised TikTok merger plan includes 50% US government ownership
Perplexity AI has revised its merger proposal with ByteDance, TikTok's parent company.
Oracle, Microsoft in talks to acquire TikTok's global operations: Report
Oracle and a consortium of investors, including Microsoft, are said to be in talks to take over TikTok's global operations.
TikTok remains absent from Apple, Google app stores in US
Nearly a week after its removal, popular social media platform TikTok remains missing from both Apple and Google's app stores in the US.
You will soon see ads on Threads in US, Japan
Meta Platforms has announced plans to start testing advertisements on its social media platform, Threads.
Reality TV stars sue LA over home destroyed in wildfire
Reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag have sued the city of Los Angeles and its Department of Water and Power (DWP).
ByteDance to invest over $20B in AI development this year
ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind TikTok, has set aside over 150 billion yuan ($20.64 billion) for capital expenditure in 2025.
TikTok faces legal battle in France over teen suicides
Seven families in France have sued TikTok, claiming the social media platform's inability to curb harmful content resulted in their teenage children's suicides.
Trump dismisses concerns over TikTok's potential security risks
In his first interview since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has played down the potential national security threat posed by popular social media platform TikTok.
Meta offers $5,000 cash, content deals to lure TikTok creators
In a bid to lure TikTok creators to its platforms, Meta is offering them financial incentives and content deals.
TikTok sale: Trump proposes deal with US government owning 50%
US President Donald Trump has voiced his support for a possible TikTok acquisition by either Elon Musk or Larry Ellison.