2025 was also the year of flexing on TikTok. A trend that gained traction on the platform in late May, "Holy (freaking) airball" videos, showed users bragging about what they are known for or other random facts about themselves, whether it be a career, hobby or general achievement.

In a memo to staff reviewed by Reuters, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew confirmed that all US data “will be stored in a trusted and secure cloud environment in the United States run by Oracle,” with Oracle ultimately responsible for safeguarding US data.

The deal comes more than a year after Congress passed a law that forced its owner ByteDance to divest its US operations or face a ban.

Ciara is performing, and presenters at the award show include Paris Hilton, Bethenny Frankel, Tan France, REI AMI and more.

The rest of TikTok will be retained by its parent company, ByteDance. The memo says the American branch of TikTok will operate independently and will have “authority over U.S. data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance." The memo says the deal is expected to close on January 22.

TikTok has signed a deal to form a new U.S. unit with three American investors — Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX — holding a majority stake.

The content recommendation algorithm that powers the online short video platform TikTok has once again come under the spotlight after the app's Chinese owner ByteDance signed binding agreements to form a joint venture that will hand control of operations of TikTok's U.

TikTok is evolving from an easy-to-read ecosystem into a complex entertainment center and marketplace. What trends and moments shaped the change this year?