ByteDance says TikTok and Douyin are different, but they face similar criticisms

Both TikTok and the Chinese version called Douyin find themselves at the center of controversy related to detention camps in Xinjiang

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Masha Borak

Published: 10:00am, 2 Dec 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

TikTok has fallen on hard times. The popular short video app recently deleted the account of an American teen who criticized China’s detention camps in Xinjiang before later apologizing and restoring it.

Then a new report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) found that the Chinese version of the app, Douyin, has been working with public security bureaus to disseminate state propaganda about the western region of China where a large number of Uygur Muslims reside.

While this doesn’t sound new to anyone in China -- propaganda bureaus have long used social media and are now recruiting influencers -- it has cast a shadow over ByteDance, the owner of the apps, and its global ambitions.

TikTok, the viral short video sensation, has its roots in China

But TikTok and its Chinese twin still have some differences, and it’s not just in how they treat political issues. In fact, according to ByteDance, TikTok and Douyin are separate apps. That’s despite the fact that they have almost the same logo, interface, functions and similar content -- videos of lip-syncing teens, comedic skits and viral dance moves have made the short video app massively popular both in China and abroad.

No matter where they live in the world, everyone loves goofy animals. (Picture: TikTok and Douyin)

One obvious difference is that you can’t download TikTok in China or access its content from your phone. If you search Chinese app stores, you’ll only find Douyin. Similarly, searching through the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store outside China won’t bring up Douyin at all.

While TikTok adjusts its content according to a user’s location, Douyin has completely different content. The trending TikTok hashtag #arashichallenge covering the dance moves of J-pop band Arashi has zero hits on Douyin. The same goes for some of TikTok’s biggest stars.

This is why some Western celebrities have started reposting their TikTok content to Douyin to reach China’s huge audience. Reality TV interior designer Bobby Berk from Netflix’s Queer Eye recently told The Verge he’s been cultivating a following on Douyin (although he seems to have far less than the “million views” he claims).