The Canadian government has ordered the closure of TikTok’s business operations in the country, citing significant national security risks. The move, announced on Wednesday, includes the shutdown of TikTok’s offices in both Toronto and Vancouver. François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Industry, clarified in a statement that while TikTok’s business operations are being halted, Canadians will…
Zhang Yiming, co-founder of ByteDance, the parent company of the popular social media app TikTok, has ascended to the top of China’s wealth rankings, with his fortune now valued at $49.3 billion, according to the Hurun Research Institute’s latest report. Zhang, 41, has seen his wealth grow by 43% over the past year, making him…
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has dismissed an intern for allegedly sabotaging the training of one of its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The company acknowledged the intern’s interference but disputed claims about the scale of the impact, calling reports on the matter “exaggerated and inaccurate.” The incident came to light after social media reports…
Renowned Nigerian singer-songwriter Wande Coal has thrilled fans with the release of the extended version of his hit single “Again.” Originally featured on his 2020 Realms EP, the track recently gained renewed popularity on TikTok, where listeners were buzzing about a longer version circulating on the platform. When “Again” first debuted, it quickly became a…
A coalition of 14 state attorneys general has filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the popular social media platform of harming young people’s mental health through its addictive features and content. The lawsuits, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, allege that TikTok’s design encourages excessive use among minors,…
Icelandic supermarkets are grappling with an unexpected cucumber shortage, driven by a viral TikTok trend that has sent demand soaring. The trend, which originated from social media influencers in Iceland, features a salad recipe made with grated cucumbers, sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, and chili oil, sparking an unprecedented surge in cucumber sales across the…
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, accusing them of unlawfully collecting personal data from children and failing to adhere to privacy protections outlined in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The lawsuit, filed on Friday, claims that TikTok has allowed children under 13 to join…
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is venturing into the realm of social media once again with the testing of its latest app, “Whee.” This move comes amidst ongoing regulatory scrutiny and potential bans on TikTok in various countries. Whee, described by many as a direct competitor to Instagram, offers a private photo-sharing experience akin…
TikTok is currently addressing a cyber-attack that has compromised the accounts of several high-profile brands and celebrities, including Paris Hilton and CNN. The video-sharing platform, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, confirmed to the BBC that a “very limited” number of accounts were affected. TikTok is collaborating with the impacted users to restore their account…
TikTok is preparing to implement significant layoffs across its global operations and marketing teams, according to employees briefed on the plans. The cuts will impact departments responsible for user support, communications, content, and marketing. The company’s current global user operations team will be disbanded, with the remaining staff reassigned to the trust and safety, marketing,…
TikTok and Universal Music Group have reached a settlement in their royalties dispute, paving the way for the restoration of millions of songs to the platform, including those from artists like Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. The resolution comes after a period of tension between the two parties, during which Universal Music Group withdrew some…
Amid mounting speculation and the looming threat of a nationwide ban in the United States, ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has categorically denied any intentions to sell the popular social media platform. In its first official response to the escalating situation since President Joe Biden signed legislation that could pave the way for a…
TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is caught in the crossfire of a brewing conflict between the United States and China. With Congress passing legislation that could force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban, tensions between the two economic superpowers are escalating. The proposed legislation has raised…
European Union officials are issuing stern warnings to TikTok, threatening the social media platform with substantial fines and the suspension of certain features of its new spinoff app, TikTok Lite, over concerns regarding addictive elements. TikTok Lite, a less data-intensive version of TikTok’s main app, has come under scrutiny for its feature that rewards users…
TikTok is gearing up for a legal battle if Congress approves legislation that could lead to a nationwide ban of the popular app, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN. Michael Beckerman, TikTok’s head of public policy for the Americas, warned employees in the memo about the potential consequences of a bill passed by…
TikTok finds itself once again at the centre of a heated debate in Washington as House Republicans add a pivotal bill to a broader foreign aid package aimed at assisting Israel and Ukraine. The bill, if passed, could potentially lead to a nationwide ban of the popular social media app in the United States. House…
YouTube is intensifying its battle against rivals like TikTok and Instagram by investing heavily in its Shorts feature, offering substantial payouts to creators in a bid to dominate the short-form video market. Despite facing stiff competition, the Google-owned platform is banking on its vast resources and longstanding relationships with creators to propel Shorts to the…
Amid regulatory pressures and the looming threat of a potential ban or forced sale of TikTok in the United States, Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the popular social media platform. According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Kotick broached the idea of partnering on a…
In a significant shift in consumer behaviour, Instagram and TikTok have emerged as the preferred platforms for local search among Gen Z, surpassing Google’s dominance in this demographic segment, according to a recent study by SOCi. While Google continues to maintain its stronghold in local search, particularly among older generations, SOCi’s findings underscore a growing…
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has unanimously approved a bill that could result in a nationwide ban on TikTok, intensifying concerns among lawmakers about the popular social media platform’s ties to China and its potential security risks. The proposed legislation mandates TikTok’s separation from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, within 165 days. Failure to…
Former TikTok senior executive Katie Puris has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging discrimination based on her age and gender during her tenure. Puris, who worked in marketing at TikTok from 2019 until her departure in 2022, claims she faced uneven treatment as a woman, was retaliated against for raising concerns about discriminatory practices,…
TikTok, the platform that gained immense popularity for its short-form video content during the Covid-19 pandemic, is causing a stir among creators as it transitions toward longer video formats. The move marks a departure from its original short-form approach that set it apart in the social media landscape. Starting this Saturday, TikTok will phase out…
ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant renowned for its ownership of TikTok, is making a strategic shift away from the gaming industry, resulting in a significant reduction of its workforce. The company will wind down Nuverse, the unit housing its video game studios, next month, aiming to concentrate on its core businesses, according to an inside…
TikTok, the popular social media platform, has been slapped with a hefty €345 million ($368 million) fine by a major European tech regulator over allegations of insufficient measures to safeguard children’s privacy. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), responsible for monitoring TikTok’s operations in the European Union, issued the fine, citing violations of the EU’s…
TikTok, the popular video streaming platform, is venturing into uncharted territory by allowing users to post text-only content for the first time. In a direct challenge to Elon Musk’s embattled X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok announced the new post format, aiming to expand options for creators to express their ideas and creativity. The company…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Command, has secured the conviction of TikTok music celebrity, Crown Uzama, and five others before Justice A. A. Isiaka on a separate one-count charge bordering on criminal impersonation. According to the commission, the offence was contrary to Sections 142 (1), 57 and 308 of the Kaduna…
TikTok has joined the trend of incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) by testing a chatbot named Tako. According to Bloomberg, Tako is designed to answer questions and engage in conversations with TikTok users. A spokesperson for the app confirmed that they are exploring new ways to enhance search and discovery on TikTok in select markets….
A TikToker named Hanna Goefft, known as “hanna gets hired,” has gained popularity for sharing a video demonstrating how to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT for job interview preparation. Users have been loving her tips, considering it the easiest way to prepare for interviews that has worked for every job. Hanna, a firm believer in working smarter…
Lady Gaga was inspired by a young boy’s “beautiful” makeup journey on TikTok.The 37-year-old star – whose Haus Labs makeup line will be available via Sephora in the UK from June 6 – revealed how she was influenced by the way he wanted to “express who he truly is”. She told Glamour magazine: “There was…
If you already spend hours scrolling through TikTok – let’s face it, who doesn’t? – then you might have just found your dream job. Influencer marketing agency Ubiquitous is looking to pay three people $100 per hour to go on a 10-hour TikTok watching session. The company is hoping the endeavor will help it gauge…
Keri Williams, the owner of The Branded Pinto, a custom hat shop, credits TikTok for the success of her business. Two years ago, a video showcasing one of her creations went viral on the platform, and since then, almost all of her business has come from TikTok. However, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recently signed a…
A group of TikTok users has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana’s recently enacted ban on the app, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. The complaint was filed shortly after Governor Greg Gianforte signed the ban into law, and it contends that the state does not have the authority to restrict access to…
Montana has become the first state in the United States to ban TikTok on personal mobile phones, as the governor aims to safeguard residents from Chinese surveillance. This prohibition, which Chinese-owned TikTok considers an infringement on freedom of speech, is the first of its kind in the Western world. The social media platform has faced…
The State University System of Florida Board of Governors has banned the social media app TikTok, along with some other software, applications, and developers, from use on university-owned devices “due to the continued and increasing landscape of cyber threats.” In a memo sent to state university system presidents on Wednesday, Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said, “This…
Australia has joined other Western countries in banning the use of TikTok on government devices as the Chinese-owned video app comes under increasing pressure over claims it presents a security concern. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced the ban on Tuesday after receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies, saying the directive would be imposed “as soon…
Half of Americans support a US government ban on TikTok, while 22% oppose the idea and more than a quarter are unsure, according to a Pew Research Center survey released. The survey results — collected in the days before and after TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress on March 23 — highlight the company’s…
Nearly three years after the Trump administration threatened to ban TikTok if its Chinese owner didn’t sell the company to American investors, the video app is once again facing an existential threat. On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Chew appeared before US lawmakers, many of whom want the app banned in the United States because of…
China said it would “firmly oppose” any forced sale of TikTok, in its first direct response to demands by the Biden administration that the app’s Chinese owners sell their share of the company or face a ban in its most important market. As reported on CNN, the comments came as TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified…
Rihanna reached out to a group of Kentucky grandmothers after they went viral posting a hilarious recreation of Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII performance. As reported on Daily Mail, the women of the Kentucky Arcadia Senior Living Facility achieved TikTok fame with their 12-second video that showed ladies in white stepping to the side to reveal…
TikTok announced Wednesday that every user under 18 will soon have their accounts default to a one-hour daily screen time limit, in one of the most aggressive moves yet by a social media company to prevent teens from endlessly scrolling. As reported by CNN, teenage TikTok users will be able to turn off this new…
A proposal to ban TikTok in the United States “should be looked at,” according to US Senator Chuck Schumer. “We do know there’s Chinese ownership of the company that owns TikTok. And there are some people in the Commerce Committee that are looking into that right now,” Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told George Stephanopoulos…
TiKTok is aiming to graduate along with its primary user-base. And as one step towards maturity, the platform is introducing an adults-only option for live streamers on the platform who wish to restrict their viewership to those 18 and older, as reported by Gizmodo. As for when and why streamers might opt to set an…
A series of TikTok videos may be responsible for the recent spike in Kia car thefts in Seattle, according to police. Seattle police have said that they investigated 36 reports of stolen Kias last month — compared with five in July last year — and believe thieves may be using a method learned from tutorial…
Popular social media platform, TikTok has added a new effect it calls “AI greenscreen” that allows users to type in a text prompt that the software will then generate as an image. This image can then be used as the background to a video — potentially a very useful tool for creators. The output of…
Social media giant, Instagram has announced that it will be pausing the rollout of new features on its app following backlash online from users, influencers and celebrities. Among the new features was an increase in recommended video content, in a similar style that rivals TikTok, as reported by BBC. The display and feeds were criticised…
Beyoncé has posted her first-ever TikTok and used the moment to highlight some of the creators and fans who have celebrated her new single, “Break My Soul.” “Seeing y’all release the wiggle made me so happy! Thank you so much for all the love for BREAK MY SOUL! – Love B,” the singer wrote, adding…
