In a TikTok video with the hashtag #awesomekiss, viral teen star Charli D'Amelio uses an eos Products lipbalm before kissing the screen and transforming into a dancing, costumed Santa in an ad for her 12 million followers.

Just over a year after TikTok officially launched US&nbsp;brand partnerships, major brands are tapping influencers on the social video app for holiday campaigns.

The Chinese-owned app, which has come under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and regulators over concerns around its data handling and content moderation, has made a push to attract U.S. advertisers. It is testing a biddable option for certain ads, piloting in-app shopping features and has shown up at marketing events such as Cannes Lions Festival. In September, it launched a test "creator marketplace," a service which matches up brands and influencers.

"I think if we do a good job surfacing creators and brands to one another then that's winning for us," said Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's U.S. general manager, in a phone interview.

Reuters spoke to several marketing heads and agencies who worked on recent TikTok campaigns for cosmetic companies eos, NARS Cosmetics, e.l.f Cosmetics, whose 'Eyes. Lips. Face.' campaign recently scored more than 4 billion TikTok views, and Estée Lauder-owned MAC Cosmetics, which spends about 75% of its media budget on digital and influencer marketing.

They saw TikTok, which is owned by tech giant Beijing ByteDance Technology Co, as a cost-effective way to raise brand awareness with younger audiences.

TikTok's sponsored "hashtag challenges," where high-profile influencers begin video trends, are one of the main ways for companies to advertise on the app.

To improve brands' experiences on the app, the cosmetic companies and agencies said TikTok would need to improve analytics and introduce more in-app shopping features.

Facebook-owned Instagram has stepped up its e-commerce game this year, trialing features that let U.S. users shop from the app and let some creators tag products in posts.

TikTok is testing e-commerce features, such as adding shoppable product links to videos.

"We went into it (the holiday campaign) very much knowing that commerce and revenue coming through TikTok wouldn't be the goal," said Soyoung Kang, chief marketing officer at eos, which spends under 10% of its marketing budget on TikTok. "The goal was specifically to engage with a platform that's just growing like wildfire."

Not all brands are convinced. Social marketing agencies cited client concerns ranging from whether TikTokers' DIY musical content suited prestige brands to uncertainty over how to track returns on their investment.

"We know there's a lot we could be doing in terms of providing third-party data and beefing up on some of those industry metrics," said TikTok's Pappas, who previously worked with creators at YouTube, the video-streaming site of Alphabet-owned Google.

A demo version of TikTok's relatively small online creator marketplace, seen by Reuters, showed that brands can search for influencers by attributes such as reach or by details about their audience, including region, age and gender. Brands can invite influencers to talk and then go off-platform to manage contract negotiations.

Instagram last week announced it would allow some U.S. creators to use Facebook's "Brand Collabs Manager" tool, to source deals and automatically share analytics.

TikTok advertisers also told Reuters they were monitoring headlines about the app. The U.S. government has launched a national security review of its owner ByteDance's $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media platform Musical.ly.

TikTok has said that it moderates content independently from China and stores no U.S. user data there.

"If there is any information that comes to light that we feel doesn't reflect the values that we want to espouse then we would re-evaluate where we would want to spend our money," said eos's chief marketing officer Kang.

In a TikTok video with the hashtag #awesomekiss, viral teen star Charli D'Amelio uses an eos Products lipbalm before kissing the screen and transforming into a dancing, costumed Santa in an ad for her 12 million followers.

In a TikTok video with the hashtag #awesomekiss, viral teen star Charli D'Amelio uses an eos Products lipbalm before kissing the screen and transforming into a dancing, costumed Santa in an ad for her 12 million followers. Just over a year after TikTok officially launched US brand partnerships, major brands are tapping influencers on the social video app for holiday campaigns. The Chinese-owned app, which has come under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and regulators over concerns around its data handling and content moderation, has made a push to attract U.S. advertisers. It is testing a biddable option for certain ads, piloting in-app shopping features and has shown up at marketing events such as Cannes Lions Festival. In September, it launched a test "creator marketplace," a service which matches up brands and influencers. "I think if we do a good job surfacing creators and brands to one another then that's winning for us," said Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's U.S. general manager, in a phone interview. Reuters spoke to several marketing heads and agencies who worked on recent TikTok campaigns for cosmetic companies eos, NARS Cosmetics, e.l.f Cosmetics, whose 'Eyes. Lips. Face.' campaign recently scored more than 4 billion TikTok views, and Estée Lauder-owned MAC Cosmetics, which spends about 75% of its media budget on digital and influencer marketing. They saw TikTok, which is owned by tech giant Beijing ByteDance Technology Co, as a cost-effective way to raise brand awareness with younger audiences. TikTok's sponsored "hashtag challenges," where high-profile influencers begin video trends, are one of the main ways for companies to advertise on the app. To improve brands' experiences on the app, the cosmetic companies and agencies said TikTok would need to improve analytics and introduce more in-app shopping features. Facebook-owned Instagram has stepped up its e-commerce game this year, trialing features that let U.S. users shop from the app and let some creators tag products in posts. TikTok is testing e-commerce features, such as adding shoppable product links to videos. "We went into it (the holiday campaign) very much knowing that commerce and revenue coming through TikTok wouldn't be the goal," said Soyoung Kang, chief marketing officer at eos, which spends under 10% of its marketing budget on TikTok. "The goal was specifically to engage with a platform that's just growing like wildfire." Not all brands are convinced. Social marketing agencies cited client concerns ranging from whether TikTokers' DIY musical content suited prestige brands to uncertainty over how to track returns on their investment. "We know there's a lot we could be doing in terms of providing third-party data and beefing up on some of those industry metrics," said TikTok's Pappas, who previously worked with creators at YouTube, the video-streaming site of Alphabet-owned Google. A demo version of TikTok's relatively small online creator marketplace, seen by Reuters, showed that brands can search for influencers by attributes such as reach or by details about their audience, including region, age and gender. Brands can invite influencers to talk and then go off-platform to manage contract negotiations. Instagram last week announced it would allow some U.S. creators to use Facebook's "Brand Collabs Manager" tool, to source deals and automatically share analytics. TikTok advertisers also told Reuters they were monitoring headlines about the app. The U.S. government has launched a national security review of its owner ByteDance's $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media platform Musical.ly. TikTok has said that it moderates content independently from China and stores no U.S. user data there. "If there is any information that comes to light that we feel doesn't reflect the values that we want to espouse then we would re-evaluate where we would want to spend our money," said eos's chief marketing officer Kang.

Beauty brands tap TikTok influencers for holiday campaigns

Chinese social media firm <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/founder-of-chinas-smartphone-maker-smartisan-barred-from-planes-trains-259693">ByteDance</a> has no plans to sell part or all of its TikTok app, the short video platform's head said on Tuesday, denying a media report which said the company was currently weighing options to do so due to US&nbsp;concerns.

Bloomberg reported on Monday that the company was considering a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/social-media-app-tiktok-removes-islamic-state-propaganda-videos-257458">TikTok</a> stake sale.

"From time to time you may read stories in the media that are not true. Today there is an inaccurate report claiming that ByteDance has considered selling part or all of TikTok," Alex Zhu said in an internal company note seen by Reuters.

"We went on the record saying it was not true, but they decided to publish it anyway. I want to assure you that we have had no discussions with potential buyers of TikTok, nor do we have any intention to."

A ByteDance spokeswoman declined to comment on the internal note but reiterated that there had "been no discussions about any partial or full sale of TikTok".

"These rumours are completely meritless," she added.

ByteDance has been seeking to ringfence TikTok, popular with teenagers in the United States, from much of its Chinese operations to assure US&nbsp;regulatory officials that personal data held by the app is stored securely in America and will not be compromised by Chinese authorities.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, is looking into ByteDance's $1 billion purchase of social media app <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-app-fined-in-us-for-illegally-gathering-childrens-data-200266">Musical.ly</a> in 2017 that laid the foundations for TikTok's rapid growth, Reuters has reported.

Chinese social media firm ByteDance has no plans to sell part or all of its TikTok app, the short video platform's head said on Tuesday, denying a media report which said the company was currently weighing options to do so due to US concerns.

Chinese social media firm ByteDance has no plans to sell part or all of its TikTok app, the short video platform's head said on Tuesday, denying a media report which said the company was currently weighing options to do so due to US concerns. Bloomberg reported on Monday that the company was considering a TikTok stake sale. "From time to time you may read stories in the media that are not true. Today there is an inaccurate report claiming that ByteDance has considered selling part or all of TikTok," Alex Zhu said in an internal company note seen by Reuters. "We went on the record saying it was not true, but they decided to publish it anyway. I want to assure you that we have had no discussions with potential buyers of TikTok, nor do we have any intention to." A ByteDance spokeswoman declined to comment on the internal note but reiterated that there had "been no discussions about any partial or full sale of TikTok". "These rumours are completely meritless," she added. ByteDance has been seeking to ringfence TikTok, popular with teenagers in the United States, from much of its Chinese operations to assure US regulatory officials that personal data held by the app is stored securely in America and will not be compromised by Chinese authorities. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, is looking into ByteDance's $1 billion purchase of social media app Musical.ly in 2017 that laid the foundations for TikTok's rapid growth, Reuters has reported.

ByteDance has no sale plans for TikTok, media report untrue: Sources

Social media can be used for just about anything and the same is proved by a German hospital who has a heavy presence online and has its staff post <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-apologises-to-us-teen-for-removing-viral-eyelash-curling-video-264983">TikTok videos</a> to recruit new trainees and personnel.&nbsp;

Klinikum Dortmund, a municipal hospital in Germany Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, has doctors and health practitioners who switch roles when they are seen busy lip-syncing and dancing to some of the iconic tunes - like the BeeGees chartbusting number 'Stayin Alive'.

The health practitioners even use medical tools as props while they shoot entertaining videos and post on TikTok to woo new talent.&nbsp;

Social media has become the primary and the only recruiting tool for the hospital. Who would want to spend large amount of money in putting up billboard advertisements or printing flyers when social media can solve the purpose, right?

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="700" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/6695383402499017989" width="340"></iframe></div>
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According to reports, the hospital's communication head learned about TikTok videos at a conference in New York and thought of this novel idea to attract new talent. The move almost always does the trick, luring applicants who learn about the hospital's online popularity and come in to seek employment.&nbsp;

TikTok, a video-sharing social networking application, has been making the headlines for its use to share video content by its users across the globe.&nbsp;

Just recently, it was in the news as after a US teen's TikTok video condemning Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang went viral.&nbsp;

In a post that has over 1.5 million views, Feroza Aziz talks about eyelash curling but quickly switches to decrying China's mass detention of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in its far northwest.

Aziz claimed that she had been blocked from posting on the app for a month after uploading the clip and noted on Twitter that her video had been taken down.

Social media can be used for just about anything and the same is proved by a German hospital who has a heavy presence online and has its staff post TikTok videos to recruit new trainees and personnel.

Social media can be used for just about anything and the same is proved by a German hospital who has a heavy presence online and has its staff post TikTok videos to recruit new trainees and personnel. Klinikum Dortmund, a municipal hospital in Germany Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, has doctors and health practitioners who switch roles when they are seen busy lip-syncing and dancing to some of the iconic tunes - like the BeeGees chartbusting number 'Stayin Alive'. The health practitioners even use medical tools as props while they shoot entertaining videos and post on TikTok to woo new talent. Social media has become the primary and the only recruiting tool for the hospital. Who would want to spend large amount of money in putting up billboard advertisements or printing flyers when social media can solve the purpose, right? × According to reports, the hospital's communication head learned about TikTok videos at a conference in New York and thought of this novel idea to attract new talent. The move almost always does the trick, luring applicants who learn about the hospital's online popularity and come in to seek employment. TikTok, a video-sharing social networking application, has been making the headlines for its use to share video content by its users across the globe. Just recently, it was in the news as after a US teen's TikTok video condemning Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang went viral. In a post that has over 1.5 million views, Feroza Aziz talks about eyelash curling but quickly switches to decrying China's mass detention of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in its far northwest. Aziz claimed that she had been blocked from posting on the app for a month after uploading the clip and noted on Twitter that her video had been taken down.

Now hiring! German hospital uses TikTok to recruit new talent 

Chinese-owned app <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/social-media-app-tiktok-removes-islamic-state-propaganda-videos-257458">TikTok </a>has admitted it briefly removed a viral video that condemned Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang and apologised to the US teen who posted the clip.

In a post that has now been seen 1.6 million times, Feroza Aziz begins talking about eyelash curling but quickly switches to decrying China's mass detention of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in its far northwest.

Aziz said this week that she had been blocked from posting on the app for a month after uploading the clip, then noted on Twitter on Wednesday that the video had been taken down.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: tik tok has issued a public apology and gave me my account back. Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No. <a href="https://t.co/ehUpSJiyy1">pic.twitter.com/ehUpSJiyy1</a>
— feroza.x (@x_feroza) <a href="https://twitter.com/x_feroza/status/1199829366341062656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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As her posts on various platforms racked up millions of combined views, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-us-opens-national-security-investigation-into-tiktok-sources-259364">TikTok</a>, which has previously been accused of censoring content that Beijing does not like, insisted it had not blocked her and that her videos were still available.

But on Wednesday the company admitted having temporarily removed the video "due to a human moderation error".

The company said the video was restored around 50 minutes later after "a senior member of our moderation team identified the error and reinstated it immediately."

"It's important to clarify that nothing in our Community Guidelines precludes content such as this video, and it should not have been removed," the statement said.

"We would like to apologize to the user for the error on our part."

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Here is a trick to getting longer lashes! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tiktok?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tiktok</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/muslim?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#muslim</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/muslimmemes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#muslimmemes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/islam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#islam</a> <a href="https://t.co/r0JR0HrXbm">pic.twitter.com/r0JR0HrXbm</a>
— feroza.x (@x_feroza) <a href="https://twitter.com/x_feroza/status/1198912945801043969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Human rights groups and outside experts say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been rounded up in a network of internment camps across the fractious region of Xinjiang.

China, after initially denying the camps existed, now describes them as vocational schools aimed at dampening the allure of Islamist extremism and violence through education and job training.

TikTok said they have also unblocked a previous account owned by Aziz that was barred for a video featuring Osama bin Laden, which it said breached rules on posted imagery related to terrorist organisations, even if "intended as satire".

On Wednesday the group said it had "decided to override the device ban in this case."

Aziz, who describes herself as "17 Just a Muslim", said she was not convinced that the account being blocked was not related to her Xinjiang video.

"Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No," she wrote on Twitter.

Chinese-owned app TikTok has admitted it briefly removed a viral video that condemned Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang and apologised to the US teen who posted the clip.

Chinese-owned app TikTok has admitted it briefly removed a viral video that condemned Beijing's crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang and apologised to the US teen who posted the clip. In a post that has now been seen 1.6 million times, Feroza Aziz begins talking about eyelash curling but quickly switches to decrying China's mass detention of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in its far northwest. Aziz said this week that she had been blocked from posting on the app for a month after uploading the clip, then noted on Twitter on Wednesday that the video had been taken down. UPDATE: tik tok has issued a public apology and gave me my account back. Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No. pic.twitter.com/ehUpSJiyy1 — feroza.x (@x_feroza) November 27, 2019 × As her posts on various platforms racked up millions of combined views, TikTok, which has previously been accused of censoring content that Beijing does not like, insisted it had not blocked her and that her videos were still available. But on Wednesday the company admitted having temporarily removed the video "due to a human moderation error". The company said the video was restored around 50 minutes later after "a senior member of our moderation team identified the error and reinstated it immediately." "It's important to clarify that nothing in our Community Guidelines precludes content such as this video, and it should not have been removed," the statement said. "We would like to apologize to the user for the error on our part." Here is a trick to getting longer lashes! #tiktok #muslim #muslimmemes #islam pic.twitter.com/r0JR0HrXbm — feroza.x (@x_feroza) November 25, 2019 × Human rights groups and outside experts say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been rounded up in a network of internment camps across the fractious region of Xinjiang. China, after initially denying the camps existed, now describes them as vocational schools aimed at dampening the allure of Islamist extremism and violence through education and job training. TikTok said they have also unblocked a previous account owned by Aziz that was barred for a video featuring Osama bin Laden, which it said breached rules on posted imagery related to terrorist organisations, even if "intended as satire". On Wednesday the group said it had "decided to override the device ban in this case." Aziz, who describes herself as "17 Just a Muslim", said she was not convinced that the account being blocked was not related to her Xinjiang video. "Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No," she wrote on Twitter.

TikTok apologises to US teen for removing viral eyelash curling video

The founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../exclusive-us-opens-national-security- investigation-into-tiktok-sources-259364">TikTok</a> owner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../founder-of-chinas-smartphone-maker-smartisan -barred-from-planes-trains-259693">ByteDance</a> will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States.

The note from Zhang Yiming setting out company goals for November and December comes after lawmakers in the US&nbsp;recently voiced concerns about collection of user data and whether China censors content seen by US&nbsp;users.

"Continue to diversify TikTok's growth," said the note, which was written in both English and Mandarin Chinese. "Increase investment in weaker markets," Zhang added.

The video app is especially popular with US&nbsp;teenagers and young adults, drawing scrutiny at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Zhang did not mention the pressure in the US&nbsp;but urged the firm to enhance its capabilities in "handling global public affairs" and strengthening user data protection.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has started to review ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of the US&nbsp;app Musical.ly, which was subsequently merged into TikTok, Reuters reported this month.

ByteDance didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content.

Launched just two years ago, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times, making it the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year, after of Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger apps, according to research firm SensorTower.

TikTok has faced regulatory challenges in India and Indonesia, where it is also a big hit. India temporary banned downloads of the app in April this year and Indonesia did the same last year, largely due to concerns about salacious content.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../if-madras-high-court-doesnt-decide-by-april-24 -ban-on-tiktok-will-be-lifted-supreme-court-212501">SensorTower</a> said that India is the main driver for TikTok's new downloads this year, and the app is also popular in Britain, France, Japan, Australia and Canada, according to App Annie.

In his brief note, Zhang also made mention of the company's other apps, such as the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, and Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao. Both Douyin and Toutiao make money from advertising, competing with China's tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu Inc

He said the goal for Toutiao, one of ByteDance's major sources of revenue, was to enhance its "monetization efficiency" and urged staffers to "continue to put our foot to the floor" for Douyin to widen the app's advantage over its competitors.

The founder and CEO of TikTok owner ByteDance will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States.

The founder and CEO of TikTok owner ByteDance will focus on adding users of the popular video app in countries outside of its strongest markets, according to an internal staff note seen by Reuters, as it faces political pressure in the United States. The note from Zhang Yiming setting out company goals for November and December comes after lawmakers in the US recently voiced concerns about collection of user data and whether China censors content seen by US users. "Continue to diversify TikTok's growth," said the note, which was written in both English and Mandarin Chinese. "Increase investment in weaker markets," Zhang added. The video app is especially popular with US teenagers and young adults, drawing scrutiny at a time of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. Zhang did not mention the pressure in the US but urged the firm to enhance its capabilities in "handling global public affairs" and strengthening user data protection. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has started to review ByteDance’s $1 billion acquisition of the US app Musical.ly, which was subsequently merged into TikTok, Reuters reported this month. ByteDance didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has said the Chinese government does not have any jurisdiction over TikTok content. Launched just two years ago, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times, making it the third most downloaded non-gaming app of the year, after of Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger apps, according to research firm SensorTower. TikTok has faced regulatory challenges in India and Indonesia, where it is also a big hit. India temporary banned downloads of the app in April this year and Indonesia did the same last year, largely due to concerns about salacious content. SensorTower said that India is the main driver for TikTok's new downloads this year, and the app is also popular in Britain, France, Japan, Australia and Canada, according to App Annie. In his brief note, Zhang also made mention of the company's other apps, such as the Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin, and Chinese news aggregator Jinri Toutiao. Both Douyin and Toutiao make money from advertising, competing with China's tech giants Tencent Holdings and Baidu Inc He said the goal for Toutiao, one of ByteDance's major sources of revenue, was to enhance its "monetization efficiency" and urged staffers to "continue to put our foot to the floor" for Douyin to widen the app's advantage over its competitors.

ByteDance CEO urges TikTok diversification as US pressure mounts: internal note

Clad in a bright yellow saree, recording a video of herself to share with her countess social media followers - this is how TikTok star Sonali Phogat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Adampur, set out to file nomination for the assembly polls.

Her celebrity status on the video app catapulted her into an election candidate for the ruling party. Phogat on Friday asserted that she will win, despite being fielded against Congress strongman Kuldeep Bishnoi - third time sitting legislator from the seat and son of three-time Haryana chief minister, late Bhajan Lal.

"My party, BJP, gives me the strength and the backing needed. I do not have to be dependent on anyone else. I have been connected with the party for the past 12 years and that is why I have been given the ticket from Adampur," she told reporters.

Enroute filing nominations, Phogat said that the support of the party leaders and her fans will ensure her win.

"Today I am going to file nomination papers for my candidature from the Adampur seat, our Lok Sabha MP Vijendra Choudhary, UP Minister Choudary Bhupinder Singh and district chief, along with the former candidate from the Adampur Vidhan Sabha seat, the voters from my region and my fans will come in large numbers to support me," Phogat said.

It remains to be seen whether the social media star will be able to reap benefits for the BJP in the Jat-dominated Adampur seat.

Elections for the 90 member Assembly seat of Haryana will be conducted on October 21, along with Maharashtra, and the results will be declared on October 24.

Clad in a bright yellow saree, recording a video of herself to share with her countess social media followers - this is how TikTok star Sonali Phogat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Adampur, set out to file nomination for the assembly polls.

Clad in a bright yellow saree, recording a video of herself to share with her countess social media followers - this is how TikTok star Sonali Phogat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Adampur, set out to file nomination for the assembly polls. Her celebrity status on the video app catapulted her into an election candidate for the ruling party. Phogat on Friday asserted that she will win, despite being fielded against Congress strongman Kuldeep Bishnoi - third time sitting legislator from the seat and son of three-time Haryana chief minister, late Bhajan Lal. "My party, BJP, gives me the strength and the backing needed. I do not have to be dependent on anyone else. I have been connected with the party for the past 12 years and that is why I have been given the ticket from Adampur," she told reporters. Enroute filing nominations, Phogat said that the support of the party leaders and her fans will ensure her win. "Today I am going to file nomination papers for my candidature from the Adampur seat, our Lok Sabha MP Vijendra Choudhary, UP Minister Choudary Bhupinder Singh and district chief, along with the former candidate from the Adampur Vidhan Sabha seat, the voters from my region and my fans will come in large numbers to support me," Phogat said. It remains to be seen whether the social media star will be able to reap benefits for the BJP in the Jat-dominated Adampur seat. Elections for the 90 member Assembly seat of Haryana will be conducted on October 21, along with Maharashtra, and the results will be declared on October 24.

BJP fields TikTok star Sonali Phogat for upcoming Haryana polls

Online video content is a new addiction for Indians. An average viewer is now watching the online content about eight hours 28 minutes each week, more than the time they spend viewing TV every week, according to a survey.

Many users get hooked to Youtube and digital videos to the extent that they spend hours in a day consuming content it has to offer.

Be it checking the schedule of your bus or train. To the weather and the news.All create a dependency on digital media which further fuels smartphone addiction.

So when it comes to internet adoption trends - many reports say that India is growing as one of the leading markets in the world.

An e-marketer forecast has revealed that India is likely to overtake the US in terms of time spent on digital videos by the year 2020.

While popular apps like Youtube, Tiktok and online platforms like Hotstar and Netflix drive up the number.

A major contributor to this trend - is the rise of short digital videos.

The report says that the average daily time spent by Indians online is likely to increase from 1 hour 20 minutes in 2017 to 2 hours 21 minutes by next year.

Not just this - India consumes the highest data per user and subscriber in the world.

The telecom regulatory authority of India has estimated this to be around 7.69 gigabytes per month.

Now almost all of this is happening due to access to cheap android smartphones and 4G cellular data.

But it certainly has some advantages to it.There is no doubt that the usage of digital videos is exploding in India.

According to reports, nearly 70 per cent of online viewers resort to youtube to learn something.

Digital videos have also become an important source for consuming news. From trailers to movie clips to song launches, social media has become an indispensable part of the Indian film industry.

Social media's journey has not only been deeply linked to the internet growth story of India but also to video consumption habits of Indians.

Through online channels, Indian viewers largely watch movies, followed by news, TV shows and sports, amongst others.

Online video content is a new addiction for Indians. An average viewer is now watching the online content about eight hours 28 minutes each week, more than the time they spend viewing TV every week, according to a survey.

Online video content is a new addiction for Indians. An average viewer is now watching the online content about eight hours 28 minutes each week, more than the time they spend viewing TV every week, according to a survey. Many users get hooked to Youtube and digital videos to the extent that they spend hours in a day consuming content it has to offer. Be it checking the schedule of your bus or train. To the weather and the news.All create a dependency on digital media which further fuels smartphone addiction. So when it comes to internet adoption trends - many reports say that India is growing as one of the leading markets in the world. An e-marketer forecast has revealed that India is likely to overtake the US in terms of time spent on digital videos by the year 2020. While popular apps like Youtube, Tiktok and online platforms like Hotstar and Netflix drive up the number. A major contributor to this trend - is the rise of short digital videos. The report says that the average daily time spent by Indians online is likely to increase from 1 hour 20 minutes in 2017 to 2 hours 21 minutes by next year. Not just this - India consumes the highest data per user and subscriber in the world. The telecom regulatory authority of India has estimated this to be around 7.69 gigabytes per month. Now almost all of this is happening due to access to cheap android smartphones and 4G cellular data. But it certainly has some advantages to it.There is no doubt that the usage of digital videos is exploding in India. According to reports, nearly 70 per cent of online viewers resort to youtube to learn something. Digital videos have also become an important source for consuming news. From trailers to movie clips to song launches, social media has become an indispensable part of the Indian film industry. Social media's journey has not only been deeply linked to the internet growth story of India but also to video consumption habits of Indians. Through online channels, Indian viewers largely watch movies, followed by news, TV shows and sports, amongst others.

India to overtake United States on time spent on internet videos: Survey

Uighurs use viral video app Tiktok to publicise detentions of Uighur Muslims in china's Xinjiang province.

WION Gravitas: Uighurs use Tiktok to expose China's detention camps in Xinjiang

The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down the plea filed by the Chinese video app TikTok seeking transfer of cases relating to ban on it from the Madras High Court to the top court.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, "We are not inclined to entertain this transfer petition. The Madras High Court can very well address all the issues."

Earlier, the apex court had directed the Madras High Court to decide on April 24 the plea of TikTok seeking interim relief of lifting the ban imposed by it.

On April 24, the Madras HC had lifted its ban on the social media App with the condition that it will not host obscene content.&nbsp;

The HC had imposed ban on the App on April 3 after the Centre claimed that it carried content which "encouraged pornography and degraded culture."

"Minors are also being exposed to strangers through this app," the HC had said. The court had said it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile applications.

It's ruling came after advocate and social activist Muthu Kumar&nbsp;filed public interest litigation calling for a ban. The Centre had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order.

The TokTok app is owned by Chinese-based Bytedance that claims to have over 50 million active users in India. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down the plea filed by the Chinese video app TikTok seeking transfer of cases relating to ban on it from the Madras High Court to the top court.

The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down the plea filed by the Chinese video app TikTok seeking transfer of cases relating to ban on it from the Madras High Court to the top court. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, "We are not inclined to entertain this transfer petition. The Madras High Court can very well address all the issues." Earlier, the apex court had directed the Madras High Court to decide on April 24 the plea of TikTok seeking interim relief of lifting the ban imposed by it. On April 24, the Madras HC had lifted its ban on the social media App with the condition that it will not host obscene content. The HC had imposed ban on the App on April 3 after the Centre claimed that it carried content which "encouraged pornography and degraded culture." "Minors are also being exposed to strangers through this app," the HC had said. The court had said it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile applications. It's ruling came after advocate and social activist Muthu Kumar filed public interest litigation calling for a ban. The Centre had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order. The TokTok app is owned by Chinese-based Bytedance that claims to have over 50 million active users in India. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects. (With inputs from agencies)

Supreme Court rejects TikTok's plea seeking transfer of cases relating to ban from Madras high court

Video-sharing app TikTok is again in news. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said in Parliament that there were reports that the Chinese government received data from TikTok through state-owned China Telecom.

"The federal regulators in the US recently slapped a fine of $5.7 million on TikTok for illegally collecting data on children," Tharoor said during the Zero Hour in Parliament on Monday.

But the company refuted the claims that it is illegally collecting user data and sending it to China. "These claims are simply untrue. The privacy and security of our users is a top priority for TikTok, and we abide by local laws and regulations in the markets where we operate," the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to TikTok, it "does not operate in the People's Republic of China and their government has no access to TikTok users' data, nor does it have any existing partnership with China Telecom."

"Our Indian users' data is stored in the US and Singapore at industry-leading third-party data centres," it added.

The app was recently embroiled in legal issues in India when the Madras High Court, hearing a petition, asked the central government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. Google blocked access to TikTok on its Play Store in India in April after the high court observation.

The Supreme Court, however, gave the company relief and vacated the high court order.

Owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, TikTok has nearly 200 million users in India.

(With inputs from agencies)

Video-sharing app TikTok is again in news. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said in Parliament that there were reports that the Chinese government received data from TikTok through state-owned China Telecom.

Video-sharing app TikTok is again in news. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said in Parliament that there were reports that the Chinese government received data from TikTok through state-owned China Telecom. "The federal regulators in the US recently slapped a fine of $5.7 million on TikTok for illegally collecting data on children," Tharoor said during the Zero Hour in Parliament on Monday. But the company refuted the claims that it is illegally collecting user data and sending it to China. "These claims are simply untrue. The privacy and security of our users is a top priority for TikTok, and we abide by local laws and regulations in the markets where we operate," the company said in a statement on Tuesday. According to TikTok, it "does not operate in the People's Republic of China and their government has no access to TikTok users' data, nor does it have any existing partnership with China Telecom." "Our Indian users' data is stored in the US and Singapore at industry-leading third-party data centres," it added. The app was recently embroiled in legal issues in India when the Madras High Court, hearing a petition, asked the central government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. Google blocked access to TikTok on its Play Store in India in April after the high court observation. The Supreme Court, however, gave the company relief and vacated the high court order. Owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, TikTok has nearly 200 million users in India. (With inputs from agencies)

Data sharing: TikTok refutes Shashi Tharoor's claims

Anitha, a 24-year-old woman from Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu committed suicide after being scolded for spending too much time on video sharing mobile application TikTok. She filmed her suicide on the app as she consumed pesticide and left behind a statement asking her husband to take care of their two kids.

The TokTok app is owned by Chinese-based Bytedance that claims to have over 50 million active users in India. The app allows users to create and ashore short videos with special effects and is popular across the globe.

Anitha hailed from Senthurai in Perambalur district and was married to Palanivel; the couple has a four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. Palanivel who was in the agricultural trade moved to Singapore a few years ago for work.

Anitha was introduced to TikTok via her friend. Family members alleged that she was neglecting the family and kids due to her addiction to the video sharing app.

When her addiction went beyond a point the family informed her husband who later called and tried reasoning with her. But it is said that Anitha refused to let go of the app and her activity on it.

The family members say that the couple's daughter got hurt once while playing as Anitha was busy using TikTok.

When family members informed her husband of the incident, Anitha's husband yelled at him over the phone. The argument reached a point where Palanivel reportedly said he would destroy her phone.

Upset over her husband's scolding, Anitha consumed pesticide while recording the entire act on TikTok. The shocking video has been doing the rounds on social media and instant messaging applications.

She was rushed to Ariyalur General Hospital and later to a private hospital in Trichy, but she died without responding to treatment.

TikTok had faced the wrath of the Madras High Court earlier this year when advocate and social activist Muthu Kumar filed a plea to ban the app for providing access to pornographic content and potential of exposing children and young users to sexual predators.

On April 3, the Madras High Court asked the Centre to ban the application, but the interim ban was lifted on April 24 subject to certain conditions.

Anitha, a 24-year-old woman from Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu committed suicide after being scolded for spending too much time on video sharing mobile application TikTok.

Anitha, a 24-year-old woman from Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu committed suicide after being scolded for spending too much time on video sharing mobile application TikTok. She filmed her suicide on the app as she consumed pesticide and left behind a statement asking her husband to take care of their two kids. The TokTok app is owned by Chinese-based Bytedance that claims to have over 50 million active users in India. The app allows users to create and ashore short videos with special effects and is popular across the globe. Anitha hailed from Senthurai in Perambalur district and was married to Palanivel; the couple has a four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. Palanivel who was in the agricultural trade moved to Singapore a few years ago for work. Anitha was introduced to TikTok via her friend. Family members alleged that she was neglecting the family and kids due to her addiction to the video sharing app. When her addiction went beyond a point the family informed her husband who later called and tried reasoning with her. But it is said that Anitha refused to let go of the app and her activity on it. The family members say that the couple's daughter got hurt once while playing as Anitha was busy using TikTok. When family members informed her husband of the incident, Anitha's husband yelled at him over the phone. The argument reached a point where Palanivel reportedly said he would destroy her phone. Upset over her husband's scolding, Anitha consumed pesticide while recording the entire act on TikTok. The shocking video has been doing the rounds on social media and instant messaging applications. She was rushed to Ariyalur General Hospital and later to a private hospital in Trichy, but she died without responding to treatment. TikTok had faced the wrath of the Madras High Court earlier this year when advocate and social activist Muthu Kumar filed a plea to ban the app for providing access to pornographic content and potential of exposing children and young users to sexual predators. On April 3, the Madras High Court asked the Centre to ban the application, but the interim ban was lifted on April 24 subject to certain conditions.

Asked to stop using TikTok, Tamil Nadu woman kills self; records act on app

The Supreme Court of India on Monday told Chinese company Bytedance Technology, maker of hugely popular video sharing app TikTok, that if Madras the High Court fails to decide by April 24 its plea for relief then its ban order will stand vacated.

The company had told the court that the Madras High Court gave the order banning the app in India without hearing its side of the story. It also said that the ban has led to a los of crores of rupees.

The Supreme Court bench then said the next date of hearing is April 24, and if the high court doesn't decide on the plea against ban, the order will stand vacated.

Google had last week <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-play-store-blocks-chinese-app-tiktok-in-india-after-court-order-211003">blocked access to TikTok</a> on its Play Store in India. The decision was taken hours after the Madras High Court refused a request by Bytedance Technology to suspend a ban on TikTok, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt.

The Madras High Court had on April 3 asked the central government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban.

The Centre had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order.

TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate.

It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year.

Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music.

Bytedance challenged the Madras High Court's ban order in the Supreme Court earlier this month, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India.

The top court had <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-stay-madras-hc-order-on-tiktok-app-210536">referred the case back</a> to the Madras High Court, where a judge rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold.

TikTok had earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Supreme Court of India on Monday told Chinese company Bytedance Technology, maker of hugely popular video sharing app TikTok, that if Madras the High Court fails to decide by April 24 its plea for relief then its ban order will stand vacated.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday told Chinese company Bytedance Technology, maker of hugely popular video sharing app TikTok, that if Madras the High Court fails to decide by April 24 its plea for relief then its ban order will stand vacated. The company had told the court that the Madras High Court gave the order banning the app in India without hearing its side of the story. It also said that the ban has led to a los of crores of rupees. The Supreme Court bench then said the next date of hearing is April 24, and if the high court doesn't decide on the plea against ban, the order will stand vacated. Google had last week blocked access to TikTok on its Play Store in India. The decision was taken hours after the Madras High Court refused a request by Bytedance Technology to suspend a ban on TikTok, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt. The Madras High Court had on April 3 asked the central government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban. The Centre had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order. TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate. It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year. Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music. Bytedance challenged the Madras High Court's ban order in the Supreme Court earlier this month, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India. The top court had referred the case back to the Madras High Court, where a judge rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold. TikTok had earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users. (With inputs from agencies)

If Madras High Court doesn't decide by April 24, ban on TikTok will be lifted: Supreme Court

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-stay-madras-hc-order-on-tiktok-app-210536"> video app TikTok in India</a> to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The move comes hours after a court in southern Tamil Nadu state refused a request by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ban-will-amount-to-curtailing-rights-of-citizens-of-india-tiktok-to-court-209513">China's Bytedance Technology</a> to suspend a ban on its TikTok app, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt.

The state court had on April 3 asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban.

The federal government had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order, according to an IT ministry official.

The app was still available on Apple's platforms late on Tuesday, but was no longer available on Google's Play store in India.

Google said in a statement it does not comment on individual apps but adheres to local laws. Apple did not respond to requests for comment, while TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Google's move.

TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate.

It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year.

Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music.

Bytedance challenged the state court's ban order in India's Supreme Court last week, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India.

The top court had referred the case back to the state court, where a judge on Tuesday rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold, K. Neelamegam, a lawyer arguing against Bytedance in the case, said.

TikTok earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users. It did not comment further on the judge's decision.

The company, however, welcomed the decision to appoint a senior lawyer to assist the court in upcoming proceedings.

The state court has requested written submissions from Bytedance in the case and has scheduled its next hearing for April 24.

Salman Waris, a technology lawyer at TechLegis Advocates &amp; Solicitors, said the legal action against Bytedance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms.

In its Supreme Court filing, Bytedance argued that a "very minuscule" proportion of TikTok content was considered inappropriate or obscene.

The company employs more than 250 people in India and had plans for more investment as it expands the business, it said.

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular video app TikTok in India to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular video app TikTok in India to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The move comes hours after a court in southern Tamil Nadu state refused a request by China's Bytedance Technology to suspend a ban on its TikTok app, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt. The state court had on April 3 asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban. The federal government had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order, according to an IT ministry official. The app was still available on Apple's platforms late on Tuesday, but was no longer available on Google's Play store in India. Google said in a statement it does not comment on individual apps but adheres to local laws. Apple did not respond to requests for comment, while TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Google's move. TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate. It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year. Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music. Bytedance challenged the state court's ban order in India's Supreme Court last week, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India. The top court had referred the case back to the state court, where a judge on Tuesday rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold, K. Neelamegam, a lawyer arguing against Bytedance in the case, said. TikTok earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users. It did not comment further on the judge's decision. The company, however, welcomed the decision to appoint a senior lawyer to assist the court in upcoming proceedings. The state court has requested written submissions from Bytedance in the case and has scheduled its next hearing for April 24. Salman Waris, a technology lawyer at TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors, said the legal action against Bytedance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms. In its Supreme Court filing, Bytedance argued that a "very minuscule" proportion of TikTok content was considered inappropriate or obscene. The company employs more than 250 people in India and had plans for more investment as it expands the business, it said.

Google Play store blocks Chinese app TikTok in India after court order

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay Madras High Court's order imposing a ban on Chinese video app TikTok.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the matter for hearing on April 22 as the case is coming up for hearing in the Madras High Court tomorrow.

The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Chinese company ByteDance against the High Court which said there were over billion downloads of its app and the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had passed an ex-parte order.

In its April 3 order, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban the mobile app, voicing concern over "pornographic and inappropriate content" being made available through the app.

The order also restrained the media from telecasting videos made using the app.

The order had come after the court noted that through this app, children are being exposed to inappropriate content including pornography, adding that minors are also being exposed to strangers through this app.

"It is evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate contents are made available in this kind of cyber applications. The children are exposed to strangers and there is a possibility of the photographs and other private details of the children are being landed in the hands of predators or third parties," the bench had observed.

"On March 27, an auto driver was arrested for posting a video that included a woman from Chennai on TikTok Mobile App. A 15-year-old girl is said to have committed suicide at Mumbai for being scolded by her grandmother for use of TikTok Mobile App. An old man is said to have fallen in the waterfalls in Valparai, while taking a selfie or Tik Tok video. Before many tragic incidents would occur, the government has to take appropriate steps," the plea filed by Madurai senior lawyer Muttu Kumar read.

TikTok, an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has over 54 million monthly active users in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay Madras High Court's order imposing a ban on Chinese video app TikTok. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the matter for hearing on April 22 as the case is coming up for hearing in the Madras High Court tomorrow.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay Madras High Court's order imposing a ban on Chinese video app TikTok. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the matter for hearing on April 22 as the case is coming up for hearing in the Madras High Court tomorrow. The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Chinese company ByteDance against the High Court which said there were over billion downloads of its app and the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had passed an ex-parte order. In its April 3 order, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban the mobile app, voicing concern over "pornographic and inappropriate content" being made available through the app. The order also restrained the media from telecasting videos made using the app. The order had come after the court noted that through this app, children are being exposed to inappropriate content including pornography, adding that minors are also being exposed to strangers through this app. "It is evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate contents are made available in this kind of cyber applications. The children are exposed to strangers and there is a possibility of the photographs and other private details of the children are being landed in the hands of predators or third parties," the bench had observed. "On March 27, an auto driver was arrested for posting a video that included a woman from Chennai on TikTok Mobile App. A 15-year-old girl is said to have committed suicide at Mumbai for being scolded by her grandmother for use of TikTok Mobile App. An old man is said to have fallen in the waterfalls in Valparai, while taking a selfie or Tik Tok video. Before many tragic incidents would occur, the government has to take appropriate steps," the plea filed by Madurai senior lawyer Muttu Kumar read. TikTok, an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has over 54 million monthly active users in India.

Supreme Court refuses to stay Madras HC order on TikTok app

After the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ban-chinese-video-app-tiktok-madras-high-court-to-government-207807">Madras High Court called for a ban</a> on the video app TikTok, China's Bytedance Technology Co said in a request to the Supreme Court to quash the directive.

Bytedance which is one of the world's most valuable start-ups. The company's TikTok app lets users create and share short videos with special effects. It has become popular in rural India.

TikTok, whose video-only interface makes it easier to use than platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, has been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, says app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

A ban "amounts to curtailing of the rights of the citizens of India...who have been using the platform everyday to express themselves and create content," the company said in a court filing, asking for the order to be quashed.

The company's Monday filing is not public and has not previously been reported. The Supreme Court has set next Monday for a hearing.

Bytedance did not respond to a request for comment. India's information technology ministry also did not respond.

Last week, the Madras High Court had asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators.

TikTok's inappropriate content was a dangerous aspect of the app, it added.

Bytedance said users flagged only a tiny proportion of TikTok videos, showing that a "very minuscule" proportion of its content was considered inappropriate or obscene. TikTok was primarily used to circulate amusing videos, it added.

It also argued that it could not be held liable for content posted by users.

In its filing, the company said TikTok had experienced immense success in India, which fuelled controversy. Bytedance employs more than 250 people in India and plans more investment as it expands the business, it added.

After the Madras High Court called for a ban on the video app TikTok, China's Bytedance Technology Co said in a request to the Supreme Court to quash the directive.

After the Madras High Court called for a ban on the video app TikTok, China's Bytedance Technology Co said in a request to the Supreme Court to quash the directive. Bytedance which is one of the world's most valuable start-ups. The company's TikTok app lets users create and share short videos with special effects. It has become popular in rural India. TikTok, whose video-only interface makes it easier to use than platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, has been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, says app analytics firm Sensor Tower. A ban "amounts to curtailing of the rights of the citizens of India...who have been using the platform everyday to express themselves and create content," the company said in a court filing, asking for the order to be quashed. The company's Monday filing is not public and has not previously been reported. The Supreme Court has set next Monday for a hearing. Bytedance did not respond to a request for comment. India's information technology ministry also did not respond. Last week, the Madras High Court had asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. TikTok's inappropriate content was a dangerous aspect of the app, it added. Bytedance said users flagged only a tiny proportion of TikTok videos, showing that a "very minuscule" proportion of its content was considered inappropriate or obscene. TikTok was primarily used to circulate amusing videos, it added. It also argued that it could not be held liable for content posted by users. In its filing, the company said TikTok had experienced immense success in India, which fuelled controversy. Bytedance employs more than 250 people in India and plans more investment as it expands the business, it added.

Ban will amount to curtailing rights of citizens of India: TikTok to court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on April 15 a plea challenging a recent Madras High Court order directing the Centre to ban the "TikTok" app over concerns about access to pornographic content through it.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna agreed to hear the plea filed by Chinese company ByteDance, which said there were over billion downloads of the app and the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had passed an ex-parte order.

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court had, on April 3, directed the Centre to ban mobile application "TikTok" as it voiced concern over the "pornographic and inappropriate contents" being made available through such apps.

It had directed the media not to telecast video clips made with TikTok. The app allows users to create short videos and then share them.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on April 15 a plea challenging a recent Madras High Court order directing the Centre to ban the "TikTok" app over concerns about access to pornographic content through it.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on April 15 a plea challenging a recent Madras High Court order directing the Centre to ban the "TikTok" app over concerns about access to pornographic content through it. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna agreed to hear the plea filed by Chinese company ByteDance, which said there were over billion downloads of the app and the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had passed an ex-parte order. The Madurai bench of Madras High Court had, on April 3, directed the Centre to ban mobile application "TikTok" as it voiced concern over the "pornographic and inappropriate contents" being made available through such apps. It had directed the media not to telecast video clips made with TikTok. The app allows users to create short videos and then share them.

Supreme Court to hear on April 15 plea challenging Madras High Court order asking Centre to ban TikTok app

The Madras High Court on Wednesday asked the government to ban Chinese video app TikTok, saying it was "encouraging pornography".

Created by Beijing Bytedance Technology Co, TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects. It has become hugely popular in rural India.

Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music.

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Earlier, IT minister of Tamil Nadu had described some of its more suggestive dance content as "unbearable".

The Madras High Court, which has been hearing a public interest litigation against the app, on Wednesday said children who were using TikTok were vulnerable to exposure to sexual predators.

"Inappropriate" content was TikTok's "dangerous aspect", the court said in an order, adding that "there is a possibility of the children contacting strangers directly".

A TikTok spokesman said the company was committed to abiding by local laws and was awaiting a copy of the court’s order, following which it would take appropriate action.

"Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment ... is our priority," he said.

As well as asking the government to ban the application and prohibit its downloads, the court said TikTok videos should not be broadcast by media.

TikTok, whose video-only interface makes it less elaborate and easier to use than platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, has been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, according to app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

The Madras High Court on Wednesday asked the government to ban Chinese video app TikTok, saying it was "encouraging pornography". Created by Beijing Bytedance Technology Co, TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects.

The Madras High Court on Wednesday asked the government to ban Chinese video app TikTok, saying it was "encouraging pornography". Created by Beijing Bytedance Technology Co, TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects. It has become hugely popular in rural India. Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music. Earlier, IT minister of Tamil Nadu had described some of its more suggestive dance content as "unbearable". The Madras High Court, which has been hearing a public interest litigation against the app, on Wednesday said children who were using TikTok were vulnerable to exposure to sexual predators. "Inappropriate" content was TikTok's "dangerous aspect", the court said in an order, adding that "there is a possibility of the children contacting strangers directly". A TikTok spokesman said the company was committed to abiding by local laws and was awaiting a copy of the court’s order, following which it would take appropriate action. "Maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment ... is our priority," he said. As well as asking the government to ban the application and prohibit its downloads, the court said TikTok videos should not be broadcast by media. TikTok, whose video-only interface makes it less elaborate and easier to use than platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, has been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, according to app analytics firm Sensor Tower.

Ban Chinese video app TikTok: Madras High Court to government

The fast-growing, Chinese-owned video sharing network TikTok agreed to pay a $5.7 million fine to US authorities to settle charges that it illegally collected personal information from children, officials said Wednesday.

The Federal Trade Commission said the penalty by the social network, which had been known as Musical.ly, was the largest ever in a children's privacy investigation.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/chinese-apple-staff-suspected-of-selling-private-data-16580">Chinese Apple staff suspected of selling private data</a>

The social network, which has been surging in popularity with young smartphone users and taking over from rivals like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, failed to obtain parental consent from its underage users as required by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, FTC officials said.

"The operators of Musical.ly -- now known as TikTok -- knew many children were using the app, but they still failed to seek parental consent before collecting names, email addresses, and other personal information from users under the age of 13," said FTC chairman Joe Simons.&nbsp;

"This record penalty should be a reminder to all online services and websites that target children: We take enforcement of COPPA very seriously, and we will not tolerate companies that flagrantly ignore the law."

TikTok claimed some 500 million users worldwide last year, making it one of the most popular worldwide apps.

Owned by China's ByteDance, it expanded its reach in the US with the merger with Musical.ly.

Teens have been flocking to the service, which allows them to create and share videos of 15 seconds.

According to the FTC, the company required users to provide an email address, phone number, username, first and last name, a short biography, and a profile picture.

The consumer protection regulator said 65 million accounts have been registered in the United States.

Officials said the company knew that many of its users were under 13 and should have taken greater precautions.

"In our view, these practices reflected the company's willingness to pursue growth even at the expense of endangering children," said a statement from FTC commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.

"The agency secured a record-setting civil penalty and deletion of ill-gotten data, as well as other remedies to stop this egregious conduct."

TikTok has faced criticism around the world for featuring sexually suggestive content inappropriate for children.

TikTok said in a statement it would create a "separate app experience" for younger users with additional privacy protections as part of its agreement with regulators.

"It's our priority to create a safe and welcoming experience for all of our users, and as we developed the global TikTok platform, we've been committed to creating measures to further protect our user community -- including tools for parents to protect their teens and for users to enable additional privacy settings," the statement said. 
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The fast-growing, Chinese-owned video sharing network TikTok agreed to pay a $5.7 million fine to US authorities to settle charges that it illegally collected personal information from children, officials said Wednesday.

The fast-growing, Chinese-owned video sharing network TikTok agreed to pay a $5.7 million fine to US authorities to settle charges that it illegally collected personal information from children, officials said Wednesday. The Federal Trade Commission said the penalty by the social network, which had been known as Musical.ly, was the largest ever in a children's privacy investigation. Also read: Chinese Apple staff suspected of selling private data The social network, which has been surging in popularity with young smartphone users and taking over from rivals like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, failed to obtain parental consent from its underage users as required by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, FTC officials said. "The operators of Musical.ly -- now known as TikTok -- knew many children were using the app, but they still failed to seek parental consent before collecting names, email addresses, and other personal information from users under the age of 13," said FTC chairman Joe Simons. "This record penalty should be a reminder to all online services and websites that target children: We take enforcement of COPPA very seriously, and we will not tolerate companies that flagrantly ignore the law." TikTok claimed some 500 million users worldwide last year, making it one of the most popular worldwide apps. Owned by China's ByteDance, it expanded its reach in the US with the merger with Musical.ly. Teens have been flocking to the service, which allows them to create and share videos of 15 seconds. According to the FTC, the company required users to provide an email address, phone number, username, first and last name, a short biography, and a profile picture. The consumer protection regulator said 65 million accounts have been registered in the United States. Officials said the company knew that many of its users were under 13 and should have taken greater precautions. "In our view, these practices reflected the company's willingness to pursue growth even at the expense of endangering children," said a statement from FTC commissioners Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter. "The agency secured a record-setting civil penalty and deletion of ill-gotten data, as well as other remedies to stop this egregious conduct." TikTok has faced criticism around the world for featuring sexually suggestive content inappropriate for children. TikTok said in a statement it would create a "separate app experience" for younger users with additional privacy protections as part of its agreement with regulators. "It's our priority to create a safe and welcoming experience for all of our users, and as we developed the global TikTok platform, we've been committed to creating measures to further protect our user community -- including tools for parents to protect their teens and for users to enable additional privacy settings," the statement said.

TikTok app fined in US for illegally gathering children's data

TikTok, the world's leading short video platform and Red Chilies Entertainment, one of India's leading studio and production houses, are collaborating to promote the Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif starrer movie, 'Zero', through a creative #zerochallenge.&nbsp;

Touted as one of Google Play's best apps of 2018 in the 'most entertaining' category in India, TikTok ends 2018 with a bang and brings special treats for its users in India.&nbsp;Users with the most creative videos get a chance to win official merchandise of the movie.&nbsp;What's more? Ten winners with the most creative video submissions get a chance to meet the three superstars of the movie in person!&nbsp;

Through this partnership, Red Chillies Entertainment will release some of the dialogues and short video excerpts from the movie on its official TikTok&nbsp;handle as a part of the #zerochallenge. The challenge, which is live on TikTok&nbsp;until 26th December, encourages users to share their creative talents in front of a global audience.

TikTok users can also expect SRK to cheer them on during the course of the #zerochallenge with personalised videos on Red Chillies Entertainment's official TikTok handle.&nbsp;

The year's most anticipated movie, 'Zero' is the story of 'Bauua', a vertically-challenged man essayed by Shah Rukh Khan. Set in Meerut, it has Anushka Sharma as a specially-abled scientist and Katrina Kaif as a superstar.&nbsp;

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TikTok, the world's leading short video platform and Red Chilies Entertainment, one of India's leading studio and production houses, are collaborating to promote the Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif starrer movie, 'Zero', through a creative #zerochallenge.

TikTok, the world's leading short video platform and Red Chilies Entertainment, one of India's leading studio and production houses, are collaborating to promote the Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif starrer movie, 'Zero', through a creative #zerochallenge. Touted as one of Google Play's best apps of 2018 in the 'most entertaining' category in India, TikTok ends 2018 with a bang and brings special treats for its users in India. Users with the most creative videos get a chance to win official merchandise of the movie. What's more? Ten winners with the most creative video submissions get a chance to meet the three superstars of the movie in person! Through this partnership, Red Chillies Entertainment will release some of the dialogues and short video excerpts from the movie on its official TikTok handle as a part of the #zerochallenge. The challenge, which is live on TikTok until 26th December, encourages users to share their creative talents in front of a global audience. TikTok users can also expect SRK to cheer them on during the course of the #zerochallenge with personalised videos on Red Chillies Entertainment's official TikTok handle. The year's most anticipated movie, 'Zero' is the story of 'Bauua', a vertically-challenged man essayed by Shah Rukh Khan. Set in Meerut, it has Anushka Sharma as a specially-abled scientist and Katrina Kaif as a superstar.

TikTok and Red Chillies Entertainment bring to you the #zerochallenge.

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