Bigo Live[1] is a global social live streaming platform owned by BIGO Technology[2] based in Singapore,[3][4][5] which was founded in 2014 by David Li and Jason Hu. As of 2019, Bigo Technology is owned by JOYY.[6][7]
Type of site | Live streaming |
---|---|
Available in | 18 languages |
Owner | Bigo Technology (JOYY) |
URL | www |
Commercial | Yes/No |
Registration | Yes |
Users | 400 million |
Launched | March 2016 |
Current status | Active |
Bigo Technology has developed proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning that is integrated into the application. The AI features are used to enhance user engagement and experience during live streaming.[8]
Viewers can support their favorite broadcasters with in-app gifts,[9] and some popular broadcasters use the app as a full-time employment.[citation needed] Bigo owns Likee, the short video creation and sharing app.[10][11][12]
David Li was a journalist prior to entering the technology industry, and Jason Hu had worked for many technology companies before the creation of Bigo Technology. In 2014, Bigo was founded in Singapore.[citation needed] In March 2016, Bigo Live launched.[13] It is available for iOS and Android operating systems.
In March 2019, the NASDAQ listed company JOYY Inc. completed the acquisition of Bigo Technology.[14]
In November 2019, monthly active users of the company's apps reached over 350 million globally.[15]
In March 2020, it ranked 6th in the United States and 5th worldwide for streaming apps, based on total in-app purchase revenue.[16]
In May 2020, Bigo Live launched a partnership with Bark, an online safety solution, to keep kids safe online.[17]
In December 2020, Bigo Live announced a partnership with The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth.[18]
In early 2021, Bigo Live had 400 million users in more than 150 countries.[19]
In 2021, it reached 29.5 million average monthly active users in the second quarter of the year.[20]
In 2021, Bigo Live ranked top 2 according to App Annie’s 2021 Top Breakout Social Apps by consumer spending.[21]
In June 2020, the government of India banned Bigo along with 58 other apps of Chinese origin, citing data and privacy issues and added that it was a threat to the sovereignty and national security of the country.[22] The border tensions in 2020 between India and China might have also played a role in the ban.[23][24]
In July 2020, Pakistan banned Bigo, and warned TikTok and YouTube over immoral, obscene, and vulgar content. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority said the content on the two platforms could have "extremely negative effects on the society in general and youth in particular," without elaborating.[25] The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced the lifting of the ban on 30 July 2020.[26]
On 13 June 2021, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police arrested five people including Bigo's Operation Manager, a Chinese national, in Bangladesh for involvement in money laundering and blackmail. They were charged under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Digital Security Act and Pornography Prevention Act. [27]