ByteDance

In 2009, developer and IT entrepreneur Zhang Yiming, together with his friend Liang Rubo, created the real estate search aggregator website 99fang.com.

In March 2012, ByteDance launched its first app, Neihan Duanzi, which allowed users to share jokes, memes, and humorous videos. The app gained over 200 million users before being shut down by the Chinese government in 2018.

In March 2012, Internet entrepreneur Zhang Yiming establishes ByteDance in Beijing, laying the foundation for the company's future success in the tech industry.

In August 2012, ByteDance launched the first version of the news and content platform Toutiao, which became their core product. Toutiao uses big data algorithms to classify news according to users' preferences.

In August 2012, ByteDance launched the Toutiao news app, which quickly gained popularity and attracted over 13 million daily users within two years. Zhang aimed to create a news platform driven by artificial intelligence, setting it apart from traditional search engines like Baidu.

In January 2013, ByteDance presented a four-part plan for the future, which included building an English version of Toutiao to gain users in English-speaking countries. This was part of an app race for video views and the attention of phone users.

In 2015, ByteDance launched the TopBuzz platform in the US market, offering entertainment and informational content such as videos, articles, and news.

In March 2016, ByteDance established its research arm, called the ByteDance AI Lab, headed by Wei-Ying Ma, the former assistant managing director of Microsoft Research Asia.

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, was first released to the public in September 2016. It is a short-form video social media platform with advanced features such as e-commerce, differing from its international counterpart.

Vigo Video, rebranded from Flipagram, was permanently shut down on October 31, 2020.

In November 2017, ByteDance acquires Musical.ly for $1 billion, merging it with TikTok and solidifying its presence in the short-form video sharing space.

In August 2018, TikTok merged with Musical.ly to form a larger video community by combining existing accounts and data into one app, under the name TikTok.

On August 2, 2018, ByteDance merged musical.ly with TikTok, keeping the name TikTok.

By October 2018, ByteDance achieves a record valuation of $75 billion, establishing itself as the world's largest privately backed startup.

In October 2019, the U.S. government launches an investigation into ByteDance's acquisition of Musical.ly, citing national security concerns and potential foreign influence on the popular social media platform.

Rumors circulated on Monday that ByteDance, the Beijing-based company behind TikTok, was preparing to go public. The $78 billion company quickly denied the rumor.

Citing national security issues, the Indian Government banned CapCut and TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps on 29 June 2020.

On August 7, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order banning 'transactions' with ByteDance, escalating tensions between the U.S. government and TikTok.

On August 24, 2020, TikTok and ByteDance filed a lawsuit in federal court against the executive order issued by President Trump, seeking to prevent the government from banning TikTok.

On August 27, 2020, Kevin Mayer resigned as the CEO of TikTok after 100 days in the role.

On 28 August 2020, China announced an update to its export control rules that, according to experts, could give Chinese authorities a say in any potential sale of ByteDance's technology to foreign firms.

Marland, Rinab, and Chambers, the three TikTok creators, file a motion for a preliminary injunction against Trump’s executive order, citing violations of freedom of speech and deprivation of income from TikTok-related activities.

TikTok and ByteDance formally withdraw their pending lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Central District of California after filing a D.C. District Court lawsuit against Trump’s executive order.

ByteDance and Oracle confirm the deal regarding TikTok, but conflicting statements arise over TikTok’s new ownership, with the app being valued at an estimated $60 billion.

China's state newspaper announces that China will not approve the sale of TikTok, labeling it as 'extortion'.

TikTok and ByteDance seek a preliminary injunction against the executive order, arguing that the ban will cause immediate and irreparable harm.

U.S. District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone denies a motion for a preliminary injunction against the executive order, stating that immediate, irreparable harm was not demonstrated.

U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols grants ByteDance's request for a preliminary injunction just before the TikTok ban was set to go into effect.

ByteDance asks the federal appeals court to vacate the U.S. government’s divestiture order, seeking an extension from the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States. The lawsuit in D.C. District Court adds complexity to the situation.

The Commerce Department’s ban on transactions with ByteDance, including providing internet hosting services to TikTok, was set to go into effect. However, the U.S. government's mixed messages about TikTok’s future make the situation more complicated.

U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols grants TikTok and ByteDance’s request for a preliminary injunction against the U.S. government’s restrictions, ruling that they 'likely exceeded IEEPA’s express limitations as part of an agency action that was arbitrary and capricious.'

The U.S. government files an appeal against Judge Nichols’ Dec. 7 ruling regarding the injunction for TikTok and ByteDance.

On May 19, 2020, ByteDance announced the appointment of Kevin Mayer, former head of Disney's streaming business, as the CEO of TikTok and the COO of ByteDance, marking a significant leadership change within the company.

In June 2022, ByteDance collaborated with Shanghai United Media Group to launch a plan aimed at cultivating domestic and international influencers, indicating a strategic move to expand its influence in the media industry.

In November 2022, the European Union confirmed the existence of an ongoing investigation into TikTok’s data practices, including data transmissions to China. This raised concerns about the privacy and security of user data.

In December 2022, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council announced an investigation into ByteDance on suspicion of operating an illegal subsidiary in the country. The company reportedly registered 'Tiktoktaiwan Co Ltd' in March, which changed its name to 'ByteDance Taiwan' in November.

In March 2023, the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened an investigation after ByteDance employees tracked journalists to find internal leaks. In response, ByteDance fired four employees.

TikTok Music, formerly known as Resso, launched in Indonesia and Brazil in July 2023. It allows users to share lyrics, comments, and other user-generated content alongside streaming full-length tracks, with licensing agreements in place with major music groups.

In November 2023, Forbes reported that ByteDance's internal workplace tool called Feishu was accessed by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and other Chinese government authorities in the run-up to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

In December 2023, The Verge reported that ByteDance used OpenAI's API for its own generative AI projects, leading to the suspension of its account pending further investigation by OpenAI.

In March 2024 the House of Representatives passed a bill which, if passed through the Senate and signed by the President, forces ByteDance to divest TikTok or have the platform banned.