Bigo Live

Bigo Live is a global social live streaming platform owned by BIGO Technology based in Singapore,  which was founded in 2014 by David Li and Jason Hu. As of 2019, Bigo Technology is owned by JOYY.

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.

Viewers can support their favorite broadcasters with in-app gifts, and some popular broadcasters use the app as a full-time employment. Bigo owns Likee, the short video creation and sharing app.

History
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. In March 2016, Bigo Live launched. It is available for iOS and Android operating systems.

In March 2019, the NASDAQ listed company JOYY Inc. completed the acquisition of Bigo Technology.

In November 2019, monthly active users of the company's apps reached over 350 million globally.

In March 2020, it ranked 6th in the United States and 5th worldwide for streaming apps, based on total in-app purchase revenue.

In May 2020, Bigo Live launched a partnership with Bark, an online safety solution, to keep kids safe online.

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.

In early 2021, Bigo Live had 400 million users in more than 150 countries.

In 2021, it reached 29.5 million average monthly active users in the second quarter of the year.

In 2021, Bigo Live ranked top 2 according to App Annie’s 2021 Top Breakout Social Apps by consumer spending.

Feature

 * Streaming

Users can livestream moments from their lives, showcase their talents, and receive virtual gifts from supporters. Viewers can watch popular livestreams and filter broadcasters by country on the explore page. Users who meet specific criteria can create their own families on the platfrom.

Users can host or view livestreams of popular games, such as PUBG, League of Legends, RoV, Free Fire, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Dota 2, Hearthstone, Rules of Survival and more, etc. It signed on as a sponsor for Box Fighting Championship in 2020.


 * Live Video Chat & Video Call

Users can invite friends for a one-on-one online video chat or create group video calls with up to nine participants via the Multi-guest Room feature. With the matchup function, users can initiate random chats with people nearby or meet new friends. Broadcasters have access to video filters and stickers.

In Live PK, broadcasters can engage in challenges with others; the broadcaster who garners more attraction points wins the game


 * Bar

Users can share pictures and short videos, add hashtags to their posts on bar, where people often upload clips and screenshots of their live streams.


 * Virtual Live

In 2021, BIGO Live launched its Virtual Live 3D avatars. Users can represent themselves through digital avatars created on the app. The ‘Virtual Live’ feature is developed using a blend of VR and AR technology to capture realistic facial expressions and mimic user movements as they livestream in real-time.

Controversies
In July 2020, Pakistan temporarily banned Bigo, and warned TikTok and YouTube over immoral, obscene, and vulgar content. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority expressed concerns about the potential negative impact on society, particularly on youth. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced the lifting of the ban on 30 July 2020 following discussions and reassurances regarding content regulation.

On 13 June 2021, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police arrested five people, including Bigo's Operation Manager, a Chinese national, in connection with allegations of money laundering and blackmail. They were charged under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Digital Security Act and Pornography Prevention Act. Bigo has been actively cooperating with local authorities to address and resolve these issues, reaffirming its commitment to compliance and community standards.