TikTok News

7 articles in tiktok

Why TikTok’s first week of American ownership was a disaster

App endured a major outage and user backlash over perceived censorship. Now it’s facing an inquiry by the California governor and an ascendant competitor A little more than one week ago, TikTok stepped on to US shores as a naturalized citizen. Ever since, the video app has been fighting for its life. TikTok’s calamitous emigration began on 22 January when its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, finalized a deal to sell the app to a group of US investors, among them the business software giant Oracle. The app’s time under Chinese ownership had been marked by a meteoric ascent to more than a billion users, which left incumbents such as Instagram looking like the next Myspace. But TikTok’s short new life in the US has been less than auspicious. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Feb 1

TikTokTechnologySocial media

TikTok alternative Skylight soars to 380K+ users after TikTok U.S. deal finalized

Skylight, a TikTok alternative built on open protocols, has had a busy weekend.

techcrunch.com

Jan 26

AppsTCExclusive

TikTok announces it has finalized deal to establish US entity, sidestepping ban

Majority US-owned venture includes Larry Ellison’s Oracle, private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX TikTok announced on Thursday it had closed a deal to establish a new US entity, allowing it to sidestep a ban and ending a long legal battle. The deal finalized by ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, sets up a majority American-owned venture, with investors including Larry Ellison’s Oracle, the private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX owning 80.1% of the new entity, while ByteDance will own 19.9%. This article was amended on 23 January 2026 to clarify that the new board includes a senior advisor to TPG, not a current TPG executive. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Jan 23

TikTokUS newsOracle

‘A gamechanger’: 200,000 UK small businesses sign up to TikTok Shop

Big brands such as Sainsbury’s and M&S also selling directly in app through links in videos and livestreams It is better known for its viral dances and for making hits out of forgotten songs , but the social media site TikTok is becoming a force to be reckoned with as a shopping platform. Major retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Samsung, QVC, Clarks, and Sainsbury’s are now selling their wares on the site’s e-commerce service, TikTok Shop, alongside more than 200,000 UK small and medium businesses. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Dec 24, 2025

TikTokRetail industryBusiness

Tinsel and Home Alone back in style as TikTok seeks comfort in #90sChristmas

Emphasis this year is on nostalgia as present day feels ‘a bit more uncertain’, say trend experts Tinsel, DIY tree decorations, deep burgundy drapes – and Home Alone on VHS. Christmas has gone retro on TikTok, and in people’s living rooms. The app has reported a surge in Christmas decor videos, with an emphasis on nostalgia as users embrace festive looks from bygone eras. For younger TikTokers, that means the 90s. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Dec 20, 2025

TikTokChristmasLife and style

TikTok agrees to deal to cede control of US business to American investor group

The deal closes a long-running drama in which U.S. authorities have sought to compel ByteDance to divest.

techcrunch.com

Dec 19, 2025

SocialbytedanceDonald Trump

AI deepfakes of real doctors spreading health misinformation on social media

Hundreds of videos on TikTok and elsewhere impersonate experts to sell supplements with unproven effects TikTok and other social media platforms are hosting AI-generated deepfake videos of doctors whose words have been manipulated to help sell supplements and spread health misinformation. The factchecking organisation Full Fact has uncovered hundreds of such videos featuring impersonated versions of doctors and influencers directing viewers to Wellness Nest, a US-based supplements firm. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Dec 5, 2025

HealthUK newsUS news