TikTok was first launched in September 2016 by the Chinese tech company ByteDance. The app was initially released under the name Douyin in China, and its international version was launched as TikTok in September 2017. The app's global popularity significantly grew after ByteDance acquired and merged TikTok with another short-video app called Musical.ly in August 2018, bringing millions of users, especially in the United States. In summary:
- Douyin (China) launched in September 2016
- TikTok (International) launched in September 2017
- Musical.ly merger and TikTok global expansion in August 2018
This timeline marks the key launch dates and growth phases for TikTok as a global social media platform.
