Beijing-Based ByteDance Knows TikTok Is A Cultural Weapon

When Mark Zuckerberg announced on Wednesday that Facebook lost daily users for the first time in its 18-year history last quarter, he blamed TikTok. And why shouldn’t he? The young platform is both the most downloaded app and most visited website in the world. It’s addicting and profitable, which also makes TikTok a tool of cultural control.

Beijing understands this, which is why the app’s Chinese counterpart Douyin is run much differently by ByteDance. Indeed, the Chinese government recently acquired a 1 percent stake and a seat on the board...