Page 4 - Bytedance
US TikTok creators warn of economic hit if app banned, call it vital space
Alex Pearlman shut the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost a decade ago, pivoting from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked a customer service job. Then he started posting random jokes and commentary about pop culture and politics on TikTok. Just over 2.5 million followers later, he quit his nine-to-five and recently booked his first nationwide tour. Pearlman is among the many TikTok creators across the U.S. outraged over a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app if its China-based owner, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake. The bill still needs to go through the Senate, where its prospects are unclear. Content creators say a ban would hurt countless people and businesses that rely on TikTok for a significant portion of their income, while also arguing TikTok has become an unrivaled platform for dialogue and community. Pearlman, who lives outside Philadelphia, said TikTok h
 "US TikTok creators warn of economic hit if app banned, call it vital space")
US' proposed ban on TikTok 'not fair', says China's foreign ministry
legislators have raised fears that TikTok's US user data could be passed on to China's government
 "US' proposed ban on TikTok 'not fair', says China's foreign ministry")
US lawmakers cite India as they vote on bill to regulate TikTok ownership
US lawmakers on Wednesday cited the bold move by India to ban TikTok four years ago as they voted in support of legislation about the Chinese app. In a major bipartisan move, the House of Representatives passed by 352 to 65 votes the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act co-authored by Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, and Congressman Mike Gallaghe from the Republican party. The bill, which seeks to control the ownership of foreign apps like TikTok in the US, now heads to the Senate for it to be sent to the White House for the President to sign it into law. Several lawmakers referred to the decision taken by India in 2020 to ban the app. In 2020, India banned 59 Chinese-created apps, including TikTok, emphasising their priority to defend India's national security, said the office of Congressman Greg Murphy in a statement. Lack of transparency from TikTok executives and their unwillingness to protect user privacy and ...
 "US lawmakers cite India as they vote on bill to regulate TikTok ownership")
US House to vote on bill that decides ByteDance-owned TikTok's fate in US
Tiktok CEO Shou Zi Chew will visit Capitol Hill on Wednesday on a previously scheduled trip to talk to senators, a source briefed on the matter said
TikTok CEO pledges $2 bn during testimony to protect 170 mn US Users
It's Chew's second time testifying before Congress. Last year, he was called to a hearing in the House focused on the potential national security threats stemming from its Chinese ownership
 "TikTok CEO pledges $2 bn during testimony to protect 170 mn US Users")
TikTok owner ByteDance's chief warns against mediocrity as AI disrupts
ByteDance is often seen as the world's leading company on algorithms because its flagship apps such as TikTok, Douyin and Toutiao are powered by commanding recommendation engines
 "TikTok owner ByteDance's chief warns against mediocrity as AI disrupts")
TikTok parent ByteDance to shut down music streaming service Resso in India
ByteDance, best known for its short video app TikTok, launched Resso in India, Indonesia, and Brazil in March 2020
In talks with multiple prospective buyers of gaming assets: ByteDance
The firm stopped working on unreleased games and planned to divest of titles already launched, people familiar with the matter told Reuters at the time
 "In talks with multiple prospective buyers of gaming assets: ByteDance")
TikTok owner ByteDance in talks with Tencent, others to sell gaming assets
Talks are ongoing but no deal has been reached, a ByteDance spokesperson told Reuters
TikTok eyes $17.5 billion shopping business on Amazon's turf: Reports
The 2024 merchandise volume goal for the US version of TikTok Shop - which melds online entertainment with impulse buying - was discussed in internal meetings in recent weeks
ByteDance to fire hundreds and shut Nuverse in major gaming retreat
TikTok's owner will fire several hundred people, unwind projects under development and weigh potential sales of existing titles, people familiar with the matter said
Meta, Alphabet, ByteDance, Snap must face social media addiction lawsuits
Rogers rejected arguments that the defendants were immune from being sued by the US Constitution's First Amendment
Meta, Alphabet, ByteDance, Snap must face social media addiction lawsuits
Rogers rejected arguments that the defendants were immune from being sued by the US Constitution's First Amendment
 "Meta, Alphabet, ByteDance, Snap must face social media addiction lawsuits")
TikTok expands its e-commerce presence to compete with Shein and Amazon
TikTok expands its e-commerce business with its new shopping feature called Trendy Beat. The feature is currently in testing mode in the UK.
 "TikTok expands its e-commerce presence to compete with Shein and Amazon")
Beijing had access to app data: Fired ByteDance executive in law suit
A former executive fired from TikTok's parent company ByteDance made a raft of accusations against the tech giant Friday, including that it stole content from competitors like Instagram and Snapchat, and served as a "propaganda tool" for the Chinese government by suppressing or promoting content favourable to the country's interests. The allegations were made in a complaint Friday by Yintao Yu, the head of engineering for ByteDance's US operations from August 2017 to November 2018, as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit filed earlier this month in San Francisco Superior Court. Yu claims he was fired for disclosing "wrongful conduct" he saw at the company. In the complaint, Yu alleges the Chinese government monitored ByteDance's work from within its Beijing headquarters and provided guidance on advancing "core communist values." Yu said government officials had the ability to turn off the Chinese version of ByteDance's apps, and maintained access to all company data, including ...
 "Beijing had access to app data: Fired ByteDance executive in law suit")
ByteDance surges 30% to match Tencent's $80 bn sales after TikTok boom
That pace of expansion underscores the resilience of ByteDance's business at a time Washington is threatening to join India in banning TikTok
What is Lemon8 and how it linked with under-fire short video app TikTok
Lemon8: Marketing itself as a 'content sharing platform with a youthful community', the app lets users make longer blog-like posts about topics such as fashion, fitness, travel and cooking
Will move forward with bill to block TikTok: US House Speaker McCarthy
Taking to his official Twitter handle, McCarthy called it "very concerning" that the TikTok CEO can't be honest and admit that China has access to TikTok
 "Will move forward with bill to block TikTok: US House Speaker McCarthy")
As Tiktok faces heat, CEO says will never share US user data with China
Chew, who appeared before dozens of House Energy and Commerce Committee members late on Thursday, offered reassurances that the company would enhance privacy
TikTok CEO Shou Chew set to enter a Washington fight he can't win
The mobile app's 150 million users in the US and the strength of its content-recommendation engine mean any infraction is viewed as a potential societal threat