TikTok announced it is partnering with US music distribution company United Masters, days after the Trump administration ordered TikTok’s parent company, Byte Dance, to divest the video app’s US operations within 90 days.
TikTok-related stocks in the A-share market spiked in the afternoon session on Tuesday, with Shenzhen-listed Lecron Industrial Development Group rising to the 10% daily limit.
TikTok poises to explode much larger if this deal goes through, Trump won’t allow it.
US President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders addressing what he dubbed a technological national emergency, barring all transactions with the Chinese owners of social media apps TikTok and WeChat after 45 days.
According to an exclusive report in the Wall Street Journal on August 13, a number of U.S. companies with Chinese operations have resisted the Trump administration’s WeChat ban and stressed that it could weaken their competitiveness in the world’s second-largest economy. Apple, Ford, Walmart, Walt Disney, Procter & Gamble, Intel, MetLife Insurance, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UPS More than a dozen major U.S. multinationals, including Express, Merck and Cargill, held a conference call with White House officials to express their concerns about Trump’s executive order. One of the purposes of the conference call, according to sources, is to clarify the specific meaning of Trump’s executive order. The order will prohibit Americans from carrying out “any transaction related to WeChat,” but leave it to the U.S. Department of Commerce to explain in detail what transactions will be prohibited.
And Craig Allen, president of the US-China Business Council, warned: “Those who don’t live in China don’t understand the impact of not allowing US companies to use WeChat. They will be at a huge disadvantage compared to all their competitors.” The report notes that WeChat has more than 1.2 billion global users and is ubiquitous in Chinese life and work. For any business doing business with China, WeChat is an important marketing venue for communicating with customers. The U.S. companies are hoping that the Trump administration will be able to narrow the scope of the “strike” when it implements the order in the future. It’s worth noting that on the 12th of December, Tencent CFO Luo Shuo Han 罗硕瀚 said that the company believes that the US ban only applies to WeChat’s international version, and not to the domestic Chinese market. They are seeking further explanation from the US authorities. But US companies are still concerned that the Trump administration’s approach could effectively prevent them from entering the lucrative Chinese market, for example by no longer being able to collect payments or advertise on WeChat. And some U.S. media are already worried about iPhone sales in China.
On the other hand, the U.S. entertainment and sports industries are also worried that digital services related to Tencent will be affected. For example, the U.S. professional basketball league (NBA) has reached an agreement with Tencent, authorizing the latter to broadcast games in China. The NBA “is waiting for further explanation of the executive order.
The Wall Street Journal argues that large U.S. corporations are often Beijing’s strongest supporters in Washington, but their influence has waned since Trump took office. Factor in the political climate under the US election and things become even more difficult. According to Scott Kennedy, a China trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “Businesses are worried about upsetting Washington or Beijing and want to stay out of the ‘crossfire’ between the two sides as much as possible.” And in what can easily be seen as a “defense of China,” it is difficult for these companies to stand up and say “the United States is wrong, China is right.
On the other hand, the Trump administration’s daily provocations have greatly affected the business environment. The U.S. media quoted a survey released by the U.S.-China Business Council on the 11th, in which 86 percent of its more than 100 member companies reported that tensions between the U.S. and China have affected their sales and business in China.
At the same time, the survey, conducted in May and June, showed that 83 percent of its corporate members ranked China as a top goal or one of their top five priorities in their global strategy. Nearly 70 percent of respondents were optimistic about the business outlook for China over the next five years, and 87 percent revealed they have no plans to move production out of the country.
”U.S.-China trade and investment provides about 2.6 million jobs in the United States. In the coming years, we’ll have to maintain and add jobs while finding ways to reduce conflict between the two sides in other areas,” The president of the U.S.-China Trade National Council said.
8-14-20 According to market research firm Sensor Tower, more and more users in the United States are opting to download WeChat and its encrypted alternative, Signal, after President Trump threatened to ban it. U.S. WeChat users are hoping to get it installed properly before the software is removed from major app stores. Others want to use alternative services, including Signal, an encrypted chat software developed by the nonprofit Signal Foundation. According to Sensor Tower, WeChat’s average number of downloads in the U.S. in the last six days was 41 percent higher than the week before the ban was announced last Thursday, while Signal’s downloads in the U.S. and China grew by 30 percent and 90 percent, respectively. Some U.S. users say they plan to use WeChat in the U.S. using a virtual commutation network (VPN).
WeChat is not just a texting platform, it is also a payment system for the Chinese users, bypassing the US financial system.
9-19-20 The Commerce Department said Friday that as of Sunday, any moves to distribute or maintain TikTok on app stores such as Apple Store and Google Play will be prohibited, and a more extensive ban against the app would be applied from Nov. 12. Business insiders said that, under Friday’s decision, TikTok’s users who had already downloaded the app may continue using it, but they will not be able to download updated versions from Sunday. According to the company, as of June, the total number of TikTok’s monthly active users in the country soared to 91,937,040, and based on quarterly usage, 100 million Americans used the app.
9-19-20 TikTok on Saturday confirmed that it has reached a proposed deal with US companies Oracle and Walmart. “We are pleased that the proposal by Tiktok, Oracle, and Walmart will resolve the security concerns of the U.S. administration and settle the question around TikTok’s future in the US,” the company said in a statement. Oracle will become TikTok’s technology provider and it’s also working with Walmart on a commercial partnership, the statement said. Shortly after TikTok confirmed the deal, the US Department of Commerce announced an order to delay TikTok’s US app store ban by a week until September 27. The order said the decision was taken “in light of recent positive developments,” and at US President Donald Trump’s direction the ban will be postponed until 11:59 p.m September 27. Trump on Saturday told reporters at the White House he backs the deal with TikTok owner ByteDance, Oracle and Walmart. “I have given the deal my blessing,” Trump said. “I approve the deal in concept.”
9-20-20 A U.S. judge early Sunday blocked the Commerce Department from requiring Apple and Alphabet’s Google to remove Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat for downloads by late Sunday.
9-29-20 Trump’s ban on Tiktok is temporarily blocked by a US federal judge.
TikTok confirmed Thursday that it will establish a new European data center in Ireland, its first in Europe, a move that analysts said displays the company’s determination to strengthen data security and pursue overseas expansion, despite the US’ mafia-style crackdown on the short video app.
The investment in Ireland, to the value of approximately 420 million euros ($500 million), will create hundreds of new jobs and play a key role in strengthening security of TikTok’s user data in Europe backed up with a state-of-the art network security defense system there.
The data center is expected to be operational in early 2022.
TikTok established the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Trust and Safety Hub in the Ireland’s capital Dublin at the beginning of the year. TikTok’s Irish company has recently become the data controller alongside TikTok’s UK company, with the former now the service provider for users across the European Economic Area and Switzerland, according to TikTok.
Why is Trump going to ban TikTok? Here are three possible reasons: 1.A rising Chinese company puts pressure on US tech giants 2.Young Americans love TikTok, Trump who is very fearful of Chinese influence on the youths 3.The US targets foreign companies that threaten its technology superiority.
“We’re not going anywhere”, Vanessa Pappas, general director of TikTok US, said in a video posted to twitter on Saturday, as uncertainties loom over the app’s future, including a threat made on Friday by the US President Donald Trump to ban TikTok in the US.
In the video that was also pushed to all TikTok users in the US, Pappas thanked TikTok content creators, users and its 1,500 US staff. She noted that the company will offer ten thousand jobs in the US in the next three years.
On Friday, President Trump said he will soon ban the Chinese-owned app, calling it a “severance”. Trumps said he plans to sign an order to ban US access to the app as early as Saturday.
The pending ban on TikTok has left many content creators feeling uncertain about the future of the app and some are switching to other platforms. The hashtags TikTokband and ByeTikTok were featured in many videos, and many TikTok celebrities have asked followers to continue to support them on YouTube and Instagram.
Since threatening to ban TikTok last week, which reportedly has 100 million American users, US President Donald Trump is giving ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, 45 days to reach a deal to sell its US business to US software giant Microsoft, Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources.
By slapping a deadline on the potential deal, Trump has effectively turned transaction into a fire sale, further pressuring Beijing-based ByteDance to give up its business interests and intellectual property at a discounted rate.
张一鸣全员信：
过去的几个月中，公司遇到了很多挑战。大家这几天应该也看到不少关于公司的传言和猜测。在当前的情况下，TikTok美国业务面临被CFIUS强制要求出售的可能性，或因行政命令让TikTok产品在美国被封禁。
当前的地缘政治和舆论环境越来越复杂，我们在一些市场面对的外部压力较大，过去几周参与应对的团队一直昼夜轮转，加班工作，争取最好的结果。虽然很多细节还不能在大范围内说，但我还是想尽可能的跟大家做一些同步，也说一下我的想法。
近一年来，我们一直在积极配合CFIUS对我们2017年底收购musical.ly的项目进行的调查。尽管我们一再强调自己是一家私营企业，并且我们愿意采取更多的技术方案来消除顾虑，但CFIUS还是认定字节跳动必须出售TikTok美国业务。我们不认同这个决定，因为一直以来我们都坚持确保用户数据安全、平台中立性和透明度。考虑到当前的大环境，我们也必须面对CFIUS的决定和美国总统的行政命令，同时不放弃探索任何可能性。我们尝试与一家科技公司就合作方案做初步讨论，形成方案以确保TikTok能继续服务美国用户。
在寻找解决方案的时候，我们考虑了三个方面：
1、用户。TikTok不仅是字节跳动的产品，正如Vanessa昨天视频里说的，它更应该是全球用户的社区，所以我们不会把它当作一个没有生命的资产。在这个过程中，我们会竭尽努力来保护TikTok的独特存在，并且希望TikTok的用户体验能够不受影响。
2、团队。TikTok吸引了很多人加入，凝聚了很多同事的努力，对大家来说它是工作也是事业。尤其是对于在处理危机的当地同事来说，他们的压力更大。我时常想如果他们是在一个本土企业工作，这样烦恼应该会少很多。但换个角度想，共同应对挑战也让不同地区的同事更加互相理解了。我们会把团队的利益和发展作为重要考虑。
3、公司。我们希望为inspire creativity & enrich life 的愿景继续努力，像产品演化一样不断改进，成为一家优秀的全球化企业。
TikTok已经成为了全球文化的一部分，它是用户的窗户，画布和桥梁。有数亿用户聚在我们打造的平台上，进行创作，彼此连接，给用户带来许多的欢乐和信息。也有那么多人在我们平台上创作、经营、实现他们的价值。想想这些，我对TikTok的未来充满信心。我也相信我们能赢得更多的信任。
和以往一样，在遇到困难的时候，我们的团队尤其团结，大家也很乐观和有韧性。感谢大家的投入和付出，能和这样优秀的团队一起做有挑战的事情，也是我自己重要的动力。最后想再说一下，字节跳动要做一个值得信任的全球公司，始终没有变化，在一个巨变的时代，也更值得为之努力。这本身也是一段有挑战有意义的旅程。
我们还没有完全决定最后的解决方案，外界对TikTok的关注和传言，可能还会持续一段时间。我希望大家能在喧嚣和挑战中，依旧保持好的士气，看长期有定力，信任公司能在复杂局面下做出好的判断，给员工足够的支持。而我们通过不断的创新和坚定的执行，为用户提供最好的服务，自身保持高速成长，是应对危机最坚实的后盾。
以下是张一鸣内部信全文：
很久没有专门给中国同事写信了，上一次还是疫情暴发的时候。今天想就近况，专门和大家聊聊。
又到风波季
因为传公司将出售TikTok美国业务的新闻，很多人在微博里骂公司和我。我看到头条圈里有人说半夜被微博评论气哭，有人替我和人吵架怼到手酸，也很多同事加油鼓励。昨天加班到天亮，睡觉前打开头条圈，看到有人发早上5点半的深圳来福士大楼的照片，属于公司的楼层灯还亮着。
最近很多同事一起努力，震原、定坤和技术部门同事经常工作到半夜进行架构升级、欧洲数据中心建设，还有很多部门同事24小时待命，随时被叫起来工作。感觉不平凡的日子，像一段特别的旅程。
感谢大家
想专门谢谢中国的同事，我心里一直觉得，但第一次说。
说实话，随着公司全球化的发展，不少中国同事牺牲了很多，从16年开始频繁出差外派，或者在中国克服时差语言问题工作，而且常常有许多应急工作。我总是push大家走出舒适区，拥抱变化，强调未来十八个月非常重要。
后来，因为越来越多的岗位本地化，比如TikTok市场运营职能（许多来自base上海的musical.ly团队），非中国业务内容审核等职能从18年底开始全面迁出中国，很多同事干得好好的被调岗。研发同事也因为数据访问政策调整工作受影响。
幸好公司成长得快，大家在新的岗位上发展的也很好。头条圈时不时也有一些抱怨，但总体上大家真的做到了格局大、ego小。
全球公司
作为中国人创立的公司，为什么我们内部经常强调我们是全球公司，大家工作中要有火星视角。因为我们同事来自世界各地，有不同的文化背景，面对不同的舆论场。而每个人都有信息局限性，更容易从自己的角度出发，尤其在地缘政治强化和去全球化的时候经常会出现问题。
不站在火星视角，在工作中会容易无心地冒犯不同国家的文化和价值观，或者把自己的习惯标准强加给不同文化背景的同事，这样的例子非常多。这也是我们为什么把“多元兼容”加到字节范中的一个原因。
文化冲突是大多数中国公司不会遇到的问题。很多中国公司的国际业务主要是实体产品的销售，所以团队保持中国人为主就可以做到业务高效。而我们这样一个连接不同文化的大型平台则必须各国的团队来运营管理。我们在各个国家尊重当地文化，所以能吸引不同国家的人才加入字节跳动，经过2-3年的曲折，在很多国家我们都建立了很好的雇主品牌。我觉得这也是格局大，ego小的体现。
社交媒体上的舆论
我其实很理解，人们对一家中国人创立走向全球公司有很高的期待，但是没有很充分和准确的信息，加上民众对当前美国政府很多行为有怨气，所以容易对我们有特别激烈的批评。
只是多数人把这次事件问题的焦点搞错了，问题焦点根本不是CFIUS以musical.ly并购危害国家安全为由强制TikTok美国业务出售给美国公司（这虽然不合理，但仍然是在法律的程序里，作为企业我们必须遵守法律别无选择），但这不是对方的目的，甚至是对方不希望看到，其真正目的是希望全面的封禁以及更多。。。
复杂的事情在一定时期并不适合在公共环境中说。就像过去也有很多时候，对公司的批评我们并不能展开解释，大家一同经历之后对管理团队有更多的信任。对于公众的意见，我们要能接受一段时间的误解。希望大家也不要在意短期的损誉，耐心做好正确的事。这也是格局大，ego小。
反华情绪的挑战
过去两年以来，尤其是最近，很多国家反华情绪上升明显。
举个例子，4月份我们印度公司对印度医护人员做了防护物资捐赠，6月份中印冲突升温后，努力协助我们运输和完成捐赠的印度妇女儿童部部长在社交媒体上被网民大量攻击。
而在美国等部分国家，有一些政客全面攻击中国和中国企业至少在短期内形成了一定的氛围，乃至有更全面视角和中肯看法的人也不能公开说公允的话。所以我们也要特别理解非中国员工的处境，也要预计未来有更多的困难。
尽管如此，我们还是应该从长远的发展来看眼前的挑战和压力。不断追求好的产品体验，建设好的团队文化，透明开放，以及在保护用户利益和企业社会责任方面追求高标准。我相信不但能赢得用户，也能为中国企业加分。
偶尔也有人说，公司对中国团队要求得更多一些，我觉得目前确实是，特别谢谢大家一起努力。
The latest TikTok statistics show that as of April 2020, the popular video app has been downloaded more than two billion times worldwide on both the Apple App Store and Google Play (Sensor Tower, 2020). In other words, TikTok was able to double its number of downloads in just over a year—a clear sign of the app’s skyrocketing popularity.
Here’s a summary of the TikTok statistics you need to know in 2020:
8-3-20 Bytedance said it is facing “complexity and unimaginable difficulties” in its process of becoming an international company, including international political tension, cultural clash and smearing from its competitor Facebook.
Bytedance is devoted to its internationalization and will use its legal rights to defend its legitimate interest, the company said.Quote Tweet
