Douyin & TikTok Launch (2016)
ByteDance launched Douyin in China, then TikTok internationally.
DateSep 2016 (Douyin); 2017 (TikTok international)
PlatformTikTok
TypePlatform event
Who it affectsEveryone
What happened
ByteDance launched Douyin in China in September 2016 and TikTok for international markets in 2017. The two apps run separately.
Who it affected
Everyone.
What it means for marketers today
TikTok’s design, full-screen short video with an algorithmic feed, has been copied by every major platform.
Related
See the full TikTok History: Launch, Algorithm & US Ownership (2016–2026)