King of the hill: TikTok is officially the most downloaded app in 2020

Step aside Facebook, as TikTok just got crowned the most downloaded social media app in the world as of 2020, according to survey conducted by digital analytics company App Annie. 

Launched in 2016, The Chinese video-sharing platform has since overtaken Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger, all of which make up Facebook’s ecosystem. This isn’t a milestone to overlook, as Facebook-owned apps have held the top spot since the survey began in 2018. 

If you’re wondering why the ByteDance subsidiary is so popular, then let’s take a trip down memory lane back to when the world’s population was holed up in their homes to contain a deadly virus on the loose. 

The app’s popularity grew tremendously amid the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, becoming the most downloaded app in Europe, South America, and the US, the report said. 

WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger made an appearance in the top five trailing behind the Chinese video-sharing platform. It’s safe to say that TikTok’s popularity is unstoppable, as the app continued to grow even after former U.S. President Donald Trump tried to ban it in America. 

The Trump administration accused TikTok of risking national security as the Chinese government had access to its user data, even though ByteDance refuted the allegations. However, after President Joe Biden took the reign from Trump, the executive order to ban TikTok was withdrawn.  

For millennials who cannot fathom TikTok’s blistering growth, try to think of how the app is eerily similar to Vine.  

Vine was a success back in the day. So, the model of sharing short video content was guaranteed to produce a positive response. TikTok is essentially the same concept, except it’s tailored to the upcoming generation who had enough of Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. 

TikTok provided youngsters with a safe space to try a myriad of activities. From dancing, singing, to creating new memes, even applying for jobs online, there’s always something to do on the Chinese video-sharing platform.  

Challenging the masses to create attractive content with a 30 second limit surely paid off, as the younger generation have one thing in common; they’re all glued to their smartphones, looking for interesting content to capture their short attention span.