ABSTRACT
The digital screen industry is largely shaped by the state via measures such as censorship. State policy is the fundamental driver of this change, which has powered technological infrastructure and the free market. Douyin gained domestic popularity thanks to consecutive business strategies. User experience is more commercial driven on Douyin and entertainment focused on TikTok. However, the rise of Douyin and TikTok is not just the story of one man, or one company, but the story of the times. It is about the ways that national policies exert influence on industries and how Douyin and TikTok evolved out of a corporate push that redefined cultural communication. In this context, short-video services have made cultural dissemination more accessible and feasible by offering explicit guides and means, shaping cultural appreciation through mass participation. The global reach of TikTok indicates that digital power has transformed into venues of soft power that transport values and beliefs by unexpected means.
