China’s video sharing app TikTok expands in Culver City

TikTok, a video sharing service, said Wednesday that it is expanding its U.S. operations in Culver City.

TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance, said its new Culver City office has a capacity for around 1,000 employees and will provide more space for its growing U.S. team. The company was previously in a temporary office in Culver City.

The new office encompasses 120,000 square feet, with five floors connected through a bright pink staircase. By the summer, it will house a content creation studio for creators and partners.

“While we are a global company, having a permanent office in L.A. speaks to our commitment to the U.S. market and deepens our bond with the city, and the talent and the companies, that call it home,� Vanessa Pappas, general manager of TikTok U.S., said in a statement.

The company employs more than 400 people in the U.S. A spokeswoman said employees began moving into the new space Monday but declined to specify how many worked in Culver City.

TikTok is the latest addition to Culver City’s burgeoning digital media sector. Amazon Studios and Apple also have offices in the city.

TikTok is a fast-growing streaming video company that relies on short form, user-generated content. The company has received acclaim for generating a big audience for influencers but also has drawn scrutiny over whether it censors content that may not be favorable to the Chinese government. Branches of the U.S. military have banned its members from using TikTok, following concerns that the app’s ties with China could pose a security risk.

The social media company in recent months had been interviewing people for a chief executive role based in the U.S., according to Bloomberg, citing people who declined to be named. The job would be to oversee nontechnical areas such as advertising and operations, Bloomberg reported.