Social network TikTok reaches 1 billion monthly active users

The ByteDance-owned video-sharing platform has been reporting steady growth over the past few years

TikTok has reached 1 billion monthly active users across the globe, it announced Monday.

More than 1 billion people around the world now come to TikTok every month to be entertained as they learn, laugh, or discover something new. We’re honoured to be a home for our immensely diverse community of families, small businesses, and creators who transform into our favourite stars, the company said in a press release.

The ByteDance-owned video-sharing platform has been reporting steady growth over the past few years with most of its U.S. audience joining during the pandemic.

TikTok said previously that it passed 2 billion global downloads in August of 2020. The company’s largest markets include the U.S., Brazil, Southeast Asia and Europe, according to Reuters.

TikTok now has nearly twice the number of active monthly users as Snapchat, but still trails Facebook by a lot; it has 2.9 billion monthly active users, according to its second quarter earnings report.

But the short-video format is clearly successful. Last year, Facebook launched its own version of TikTok on Instagram, called Reels.

TikTok has continued to grow despite setbacks. The app was nearly banned in the U.S. under former President Donald Trump, but that threat dissipated when President Joe Biden took office.

Social media, in general, has faced increased scrutiny recently. These platforms have been linked to mental health issues for years, but recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook is aware that Instagram is leading to mental disorders in people, specifically teen girls.

TikTok, for its part, has put out initiatives aimed at furthering safety and privacy on the app, primarily for teen users. Most recently, it put in place features that promote resources to support mental health and community well-being.