TikTok most downloaded app of 2020

TikTok takes over Facebook Messenger as the world’s most downloaded app, as popularity grew in 2020 during lockdown.

The app’s owner, ByteDance, also holds top spot in its native country with Chinese language video app Douyin.

Despite former US President Donald Trump trying to ban TikTok in America, the app’s popularity continues. The Chinese video sharing platform is the only non Facebook owned app appearing in the top five global downloads. The social media giant makes up the remainder of the top five. It includes their flagship app, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger.

Since the survey began in 2018, Facebook owned apps have always had top position, and the company’s domination of the chart remains.

Overcoming challenges

Last year, Donald Trump, serving president at the time, issued an order banning new downloads of the TikTok app in the United States. This was on the grounds of it posing a national security risk. The Trump administration argue the Chinese government had access to TikTok’s user data, but the firm repeatedly denied allegations.

Mr Trump gave the go ahead to a potential deal resolving the issue, but the Chinese government never approved it. It would have seen parent company ByteDance sell part of its US business to US technology giant Oracle and retailer Walmart. President Joe Biden has since withdrawn the order, since taking office in January.

After overcoming the challenges in the US, the company is now exploring new ways to attract users. TikTok announced trials of a new vanishing clips feature last week, that would function in a similar way to those on Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram. A user will have access to view content posted to Stories by accounts they follow for 24 hours. After this time, it is deleted.

The news follows WhatsApp rolling out a feature for users to post photos or videos that disappear after they are seen.

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