A whole generation is hooked on TikTok. In just a few years, it’s raced ahead of WhatsApp and Instagram to become the biggest app in the world. But how did it burst into life and overtake its rivals? Delving deep into its upstart origins, TikTok Boom charts the astonishingly rapid rise of China’s viral video app. It yields new insights into its culture, addictive algorithm, and influencer ecosystem. And it reveals the influence its owners in Beijing are having on hundreds of millions worldwide through the use of little-known content guidelines. TikTok is the emerging battleground for a geopolitical tussle between East and West for control of social media. TikTok Boom is a rollercoaster business story bristling with ambition and drama. Find out where TikTok came from and where it’s going. Find out how TikTok works and whether it can work for you. ‘It is rare for a business analysis to read like a thriller – this one does.’ – Azeem Azhar, Exponential View. ‘TikTok Boom is a must read for students, scholars, and policy makers.’ – David Craig, Clinical Professor, USC Annenberg.