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  • January 2021 (Revised August 2021)
  • Case
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ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral

By: William C. Kirby and John P. McHugh
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:13
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Abstract

In 2020, TikTok became the most valuable start-up ever. The short-form, video-sharing social media platform emerged as the crown jewel of the Chinese technology firm ByteDance, realizing 850 million monthly users and an estimated worth of $180 billion. However, a crusade against Chinese technology companies launched by the United States’ Trump administration threatened to jeopardize ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming’s creation. How could Zhang assuage foreign government’s concerns about TikTok’s data security practices without also running afoul of the Chinese government’s desire to keep China’s most successful technologies under wraps? This case follows Zhang’s entrepreneurial journey, from creative ambition to being caught up in the U.S.-China tech war.

Keywords

China; Technology; Startup; Start-up; International Strategy; Global Strategy And Leadership; Innovation; Political Risk; Regulations; Trump; Foreign Policy; Foreign Investment; Social Media; Chinese Internet Market; Global Strategy; Crisis Management; Risk and Uncertainty; Entrepreneurship; Globalized Economies and Regions; Government Legislation; Innovation and Management; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Online Technology; Technology Industry; China; United States

Citation

Kirby, William C., and John P. McHugh. "ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral." Harvard Business School Case 321-110, January 2021. (Revised August 2021.)
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About The Author

William C. Kirby

General Management
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Related Work

    • January 2021 (Revised August 2021)
    • Faculty Research

    ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral

    By: William C. Kirby and John P. McHugh
Related Work
  • ByteDance: TikTok and the Trials of Going Viral By: William C. Kirby and John P. McHugh
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