Guide to ByteDance: Everything You’ll Need To Know

Wait. Don’t leave the website. You are in the right place. Consider this blog post to be a history lesson. To understand TikTok, you need a guide to ByteDance. If you’ve never heard of Bytedance, now is the time to learn.

TikTok may be your source of income. Well, maybe you want it to be your source of income eventually. You should learn as much as possible about the people who might pay you. Would you apply for a job without researching it first? Then don’t hop on to TikTok with just your hopes and dreams.

This article will help you familiarize yourself with all the moving parts. And yes, just like a clock, many small gears make the app tick-tock (see what we did there?).

You have heard about the possibility that it will leave the US. We are being very coy with our words. You heard that there will be a complete ban on your favorite app. Do you want to find out more information on that? 

You see the TikTok app on your phone, but you don’t know what’s really behind it. We did all the research for you. Just sit back and read.

Firstly, what is ByteDance?

What Is ByteDance?

This is a Chinese tech company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. It has created several video-sharing social network apps. Its biggest claim to fame is, you guessed, TikTok. It is the overarching company responsible for this Titan of an app.

The origins of this company go back to 2012. Two college roommates started ByteDance Ltd. while living together. They developed a search code that would change the world.

The intention was always the facilitation of the light-hearted content. They created apps to share jokes between users. They even dabbled in creating something that would create curated news items. 

They also created an app for the Indian market called Hello. In 2016, ByteDance created a video-sharing app for Chinese users called Douyin. It was quite successful in their home country, prompting the creators to expand their market. 

This is when TikTok came to the scene. Now, users can share short video clips from the comfort of their phones. They wanted this app to be particularly addictive. It incorporates an algorithm that shares videos that it thinks users would like, ensuring that users stick around on the app for longer than they intended.

Do you remember the Musical.ly app? In 2017, ByteDance acquired that as well. It merged with TikTok in 2018. By this time, it was experiencing considerable success. During the global pandemic in 2020, TikTok was unstoppable.

People created and shared viral videos over the app from the convenience of their homes. 

Their phones became their link to the outside world while cooped up in their homes. It has approximately 3.5 billion downloads.

Where Is ByteDance Located?

With a company this formidable, you might be asking, “Where is ByteDance located?” Yes, it is a Chinese company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. However, it has locations in many countries around the world.

You’ll find a headquarters in Beijing City, China. This is what they have to say about their global presence: 

“We now have over 110,000 employees based out of more than 200 cities globally. ByteDance has 15 research and development centers around the globe. Our apps operate in 150 markets and 35 languages.”

The ByteDance website even provides a map of all their locations worldwide. Do you want to join this dynamic team? Maybe there is a location near you. Here are some locations where they have employees working for them:

• Austin
• Barcelona
• Beijing
• Berlin
• Dubai
• Dublin
• Hong Kong
• Jakarta
• London
• Los Angeles
• New York
• Paris
• Seattle
• Seoul
• Shanghai
• Shenzhen 
• Singapore
• Tokyo

If you are looking for a job, all the best with the interview process.

What Does ByteDance Own?

The reach of this company stretches much further than you think. They don’t just own TikTok. That just might be the one you are most familiar with. So, what does ByteDance own other than TikTok? We went to their website to find out their true influence in the social media market. Here is a list:

• Douyin: This is China’s most popular app for short-form videos. Users can access entertainment from the comfort of their cell phones.
• Toutiao: This app’s purpose is content discovery. Through this personalized app, users can scroll through topics they have a genuine interest in, ranging from sports to entertainment to history.
• Xigua Video: Users can share both long-form and short-form video content on this app.
• Helo: This app fosters a safe connection between users.
• Lark: Users can collaborate on projects, access email capabilities, and participate in video conferencing. Members can also chat and store content.
• BytePlus: This is a great option for businesses due to the data analytics tools and computer vision software.
• Tech for Good: This is a philanthropic effort. They collaborate with nine projects worldwide to raise awareness for causes. You may have seen their campaigns in Korea, Germany, the United States, India, Mexico, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
• TikTok: This is the leading app for all your short-form video entertainment needs.

The People Want To Know Who Owns ByteDance

You know that ByteDance owns TikTok. But who owns ByteDance? Let’s break this down further. CNN offers a simplified explanation of the ownership. 

The app that we know and love is owned by TikTok LLC. This company has incorporation in Delaware with a base in California. This LLC is under the control of TikTok Ltd. 

This company has registration in the Cayman Islands with a base in Shanghai. That company is under the ownership of ByteDance Ltd. As we said before, the owners incorporated this company in the Cayman Islands with a base in Beijing.

So, who pulls the ByteDance strings? The CEO says that 60% of the company belongs to global institutional investors. This includes the General Atlantic and Carlyle Group. 20% of it is owned by Zhang, one of the founders. The remaining 20% belongs to various employees around the globe.

When it comes to companies, the answer is never that simple. A company with the influence of TikTok rarely belongs to one person. Typically, the company that owns a company has many different owners as well. 

But we know what you wanted to ask. Since you’re too shy to say it, we will. Is ByteDance a Chinese company?

Is ByteDance a Chinese Company?

According to the CEO, ByteDance is not a Chinese company. Rather, it is privately owned. This doesn’t tell the whole story, though. We will break it down with the help of CNN Business.

The CEO of ByteDance faces this question often. He maintains the position that ByteDance is not under the ownership or control of the Chinese government. However, there is a base in China. This means there is a legal requirement to establish an in-house Communist Party committee. This committee will include employees who are party members.

The Golden Share

The company has to allow the Chinese government to take a small share and one of its subsidiaries. This is a “golden share.” The result is that the Chinese government owns 1% of Beijing Douyin Information Service. And this is the domestic arm of ByteDance.

The Cyberspace Administration of China

It doesn’t end there. Wu Shugang sits on the board of this company. He is an official from the Cyberspace Administration of China. That body acts as the watchdog for China’s internet.

Through this weird, roundabout method, the Chinese government has some influence over ByteDance. They can keep a foot in the door concerning tech companies’ operations in the country. In a way, they have a say concerning the content they provide to the app users.

This golden share is a requirement for the company. It’s the only way to gain licensing for a Chinese company. They will claim that this unit of ownership doesn’t affect performance outside of China.

There is a valid concern that TikTok is a tool to monitor the activity of American users. It is difficult to say that users should worry about this. By numbers, it seems the Chinese government has very little influence. Who knows if this is just enough influence to make an impact?

National Intelligence Law

The law has changed on TikTok. In 2018, the National In. Now, organizations and citizens have to assist, support, and cooperate with national intelligence work. That includes ByteDance, too.

China also reserves the right to take the necessary measures to monitor, handle, and prevent cyber security risks and threats. This applies to threats arising both within and outside the country. What could this possibly include? The vague wording of laws does little to comfort the average TikTok user.

The American government seems to think that this is far too much power. You may have heard rumblings about the end of TikTok. Some theorized that the government wants to control the information. TikTok is the first news source for so many people. Others believe their government wants to protect American users from foreign forces.

Who Is the Bytedance CEO?

Zhang Yiming acted as ByteDance CEO up until 2021. At this point, he handed over control to his co-founder, Liang Rubo. This is the man who created the company along with him in his university days.

The reason for this move was so he could focus on long-term strategies for the company. Unlike many TikTok influencers, he may not have the makings to be in the limelight. This is especially true for an app as popular as ByteDance. He still has a substantial influence on the company he helped create.

He is not the one you likely see when you watch the news. All the questions go to you, Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok. He is the Singaporean guy who comforts you that TikTok is not going anywhere.

News of a Potential Bytedance IPO

This company has taken the world by storm. In the beginning, maybe you were skeptical. Some social media websites come and go, and you may have wondered if TikTok had the staying power to be here forever. 

Now, it looks like they will remain a household name. That’s if the U.S. government doesn’t ban it in America.

You don’t just want to build a huge following. Do you want a piece of the pie? Don’t hold your breath if you are waiting for the ByteDance IPO. According to Stock Analysis, this is a private company. This means you don’t have the option to buy shares in it just like that.

They would need a really good reason to go public. As it stands now, there has been no official word of an IPO. It would be wise to consider a unit of ownership. This company already takes up a lot of your time. Without knowing it, you have scrolled on your For You page for hours. Earning from this company would be a pleasant change for everyone.

We Have the Guide to ByteDance Growth

TikTok is not just a place where we go to waste time. It’s where we go with our technical questions. The platform has taken every piece of feedback that we gave it, applied search syntax tips, and now we can ask exact questions. It is the newest search engine on the block, and it is here to stay. 

Well, hopefully, it stays in America. It just won’t be the same if all the Americans had to leave the platform. In the meantime, we will just have to act in faith. Don’t let the uncertain future put a lag on your TikTok growth goals.

You have your guide to ByteDance. We answered all the questions in your question bank. Now, it’s time to make informed decisions for your brand. Creating a strong online presence will always be a good idea. If TikTok disappears, at least you can move to another platform with the following you amassed.

High Social can help you build that following. We have very sophisticated tools at our disposal. We don’t just bring random followers to your page. We bring the type that wants to build community with you. Start growing your TikTok page with High Social today.

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