TikTok

TikTok is a short-form video platform where people create, share and discover content. Its video capture and editing tools connect creators with audiences, while TikTok Shop lets retailers sell through shoppable videos, livestreams and in-app checkout. For advertisers, Symphony provides generative video tools; Symphony Agent turns campaign briefs, product assets and platform trends into storyboards and videos, and helps match brands with creators.

ByteDance launched TikTok outside mainland China in 2017 and merged Musical.ly into it in 2018. TikTok’s defining technical feature is its personalized For You feed. Its 2020 explanation describes ranking videos using viewer interactions, captions, sounds and hashtags, with watching a longer video to completion weighted more heavily than geographic proximity. The system also introduces varied content to help viewers discover unfamiliar creators and interests.

Led globally by CEO Shou Chew, TikTok combines content discovery with advertising and commerce. In May 2026, the company reported 200 million monthly users across Europe and more than 100,000 businesses enrolled in TikTok Shop across five EU markets. Its U.S. structure changed in January 2026 with the establishment of the independent, majority-American-owned TikTok USDS Joint Venture, led by CEO Adam Presser. ByteDance retains 19.9% of that entity, which oversees U.S. data, recommendation-algorithm security and moderation; TikTok global’s U.S. entities retain interoperability and certain commercial activities.