The viral video app takes the top spot, transforming the digital landscape.
TikTok has emerged as the UK’s most popular online destination, surpassing the long-reigning Google. This shift, tracked by IT security company Cloudflare, highlights the evolving digital preferences of users worldwide.
Cloudflare’s rankings reveal that TikTok began outperforming Google in February, March, and June of this year, maintaining its lead since August. Last year, Google topped the list, followed closely by other tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Netflix. Cloudflare Radar, a web traffic monitoring tool, has provided these insights into the app’s meteoric rise.
The Covid-19 pandemic played a significant role in TikTok’s surge in popularity. With global lockdowns confining people to their homes, the need for entertainment drove many to the platform. By July, TikTok had been downloaded over three billion times, according to data from Sensor Tower. The app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, now boasts over one billion active users globally.
In China, TikTok operates under the name Douyin, adhering to the country’s strict censorship regulations and running on a separate network. Douyin, launched in September 2016, now restricts users under 14 to 40 minutes of daily usage.
Despite its success, TikTok has faced its share of controversies. Launched internationally in 2018 after merging with Musical.ly, the app experienced a temporary ban in India, a US counter-intelligence investigation, and a record £4.3 million fine for hosting content from underage users. Concerns about security and privacy have been raised by politicians and regulators outside China. In response, TikTok has consistently denied any control by the Chinese government. Theo Bertram, TikTok’s head of public policy for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, stated the app would refuse any requests from China to hand over data.
The platform’s appeal lies in its diverse content, including comedy, dance, and political commentary. This variety has intensified competition among users striving for visibility on the app. Notably, make-up artist @abbyroberts leads the UK’s creator rankings with 17.4 million followers. Meanwhile, @Francis.Bourgeois turned his viral trainspotting videos into a full-time career, amassing 1.6 million followers.
TikTok’s influence extends beyond entertainment. Food and recipe videos have become a pivotal part of its content ecosystem, with viral clips garnering millions of views. This trend has inspired the launch of TikTok Kitchen in the US, set for March. Co-founded by Robert Earl, owner of Planet Hollywood, Buca di Beppo, and Bertucci’s, TikTok Kitchen will feature dishes popularised by the app, such as the baked feta pasta, 2021’s most searched dish on Google. About 300 TikTok restaurants are planned for the launch, with over 1,000 expected by the end of 2022, operating out of Mr. Earl’s existing restaurant chains.
As TikTok continues to reshape the digital landscape, its influence on entertainment, social media, and even the culinary world exemplifies the app’s transformative power. The future of online engagement is being rewritten by a platform that started with simple, short-form videos and evolved into a global phenomenon.