TikTok bans paid political ads

Chinese video app TikTok said on Thursday it would not allow paid political ads on its platform as they do not fit into the experience it aims to provide to millions of its users.

Created by Beijing Bytedance Technology, TikTok allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, and is hugely popular in Southeast Asia, including India.

“We will not allow paid ads that promote or oppose a candidate, current leader, political party or group, or issue at the federal, state, or local level – including election-related ads, advocacy ads, or issue ads,” Blake Chandlee, vice president of TikTok’s Global Business Solutions said in a blog post.

TikTok hit the 500 million mark in monthly active users globally, according to a report in July by the South China Morning Post.

With the presence of celebrities like Ariana Grande and Katy Perry, the platform is a hit among teenagers and post-millennials.