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Like it or loathe it. TikTok is ludicrously popular, and its unique stars are bonafide celebrities among younger viewers. Now new data suggests the video sharing app has superseded the almighty YouTube in one major way.

According to research from App Annie, users in the UK and the US are now spending more time watching TikTok videos than they are on the Google owned platform.

YouTube still has far more monthly average users (estimated at two billion), compared to the 700 million amassed by TikTok (by most recent estimates). However, TikTok users have higher levels of engagement and are spending a greater period of time within the app than YouTube.

App Annie says TikTok has “upended the streaming and social landscape” and could go a long way towards explaining why the likes of YouTube have integrated the TikTok-like YouTube Shorts.

It should be noted that the dominance only accounts for Android users, according to the new report on The Evolution of Social Media Apps, out today.

“YouTube still leads TikTok in overall time spent, including in the UK,” Jamie MacEwan, from Enders Analysis, told the BBC.

“YouTube’s mass audience means it’s getting more demographics that are comparatively light internet users… it’s just reaching everyone who’s online.”

“TikTok was spending big to attract users, but they were not necessarily hanging around for long compared to other social media,” he added. “Now we know that in the US and UK, TikTok has overhauled YouTube, and is reeling in Facebook… that’s a huge seal of approval.”

Elsewhere in the report, the App Annie said that 548 billion hours have been spent live streaming in apps like Instagram, Twitch, Facebook and TikTok.

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