TikTok may face a ban in America, prompting its 170 million users to seek alternative apps. Bigo Live and Likee are popular choices, offering similar features and boasting over 100 million users worldwide. Hago, a blend of social media and video games, has also gained 500 million downloads.
What sets these apps apart is that they are developed by Joyy, a Singapore-based company, similar to TikTok’s parent firm, ByteDance. Despite being based in Singapore, Joyy’s controlling shareholder, Huanju, is located in mainland China.
Chinese firms like ByteDance and Huanju have found success on the Western internet, creating apps for various purposes. Many of these companies have established headquarters outside of China, often in Singapore, and downplay their Chinese origins.
2024-03-21 09:15:07
Source from www.economist.com