HiTechEdge

Tag: TikTok

  • Lookout TikTok: Reddit Adds TikTok-Style Video Feed to iOS App

    Lookout TikTok: Reddit Adds TikTok-Style Video Feed to iOS App

    Reddit has added a TikTok-style video feed its iOS app, the latest social media company to emulate the popular platform.

    TikTok is one of the most popular and fastest-growing social media platforms, driven by its short, viral videos that have made stars and fortunes. Other platforms have sought to cash in on the trend, and Reddit is the latest to do so.

    According to TechCrunch, Reddit has added a video feed button to its iOS app, just to the right of the search bar. While the company has been experimenting with this feature for some time, this marks an increased effort to make the feed much more prominent than it has been in the past. 

    “Reddit’s mission is to bring community and belonging to everyone in the world, and subsequently, Reddit’s video team’s mission is to bring community through video,” a Reddit spokesperson told TechCrunch. “Over the course of the last year, our goal was to build a unified video player, and re-envision the player interface to match what users (new and old) expect when it comes to an in-app video player — especially commenting, viewing, engaging and discovering new content and communities through video.”

  • TikTok Reaches 3 Billion Downloads, the First Non-Facebook App to Do So

    TikTok Reaches 3 Billion Downloads, the First Non-Facebook App to Do So

    TikTok has hit a major milestone, becoming the first mobile app outside of Facebook’s ecosystem to reach 3 billion downloads.

    TikTok has been one of the fastest growing social media platforms, despite ongoing privacy concerns. The service has now become the first non-Facebook app to cross 3 billion downloads, according to SensorTower.

    “With the 3 billion install milestone, TikTok is the fifth non-game app to join a tier that’s historically been the exclusive domain of Facebook,” writes Stephanie Chan, SensorTower Mobile Insights Strategist. “Based on worldwide installs from the App Store and Google Play and excluding pre-installed apps, the four other apps that have accrued more than 3 billion installs since January 2014 include WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram.”

    The milestone is even more impressive when considering the pressure TikTok has been under, being banned in India and narrowly surviving a US attempt to ban it.

  • TikTok Introducing Three Minute Videos

    TikTok Introducing Three Minute Videos

    TikTok is introducing longer videos, up to three minutes, giving users even more opportunity to express themselves.

    TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms, and has redefined social media with its short videos. While 60 seconds allows creators to do quite a bit, the company is now looking to expand the length of the videos even more, up to three minutes long, giving content creators even more freedom.

    Some users may have already noticed three-minute videos. The company says it has letting some creators around the world experiment with the new feature in advance of a full release.

    Three minute videos will be rolling out in the coming weeks to all users.

    With all the ways our community has redefined expression in under 60 seconds, we’re excited to see how people continue to entertain and inspire with a few more seconds – and a world of creative possibilities.

  • TikTok Releases 2021 Q1 Transparency Report

    TikTok Releases 2021 Q1 Transparency Report

    TikTok has released its first transparency report of the year, detailing the measures it has taken to protect users.

    TikTok has been under ongoing scrutiny for its privacy practices, as well as for not doing enough to protect the privacy of minors. Not surprisingly, its 2021 Q1 transparency report addresses a number of issues the company will likely use against its critics.

    The company says that during the first quarter of 2021, it removed 11,149,514 accounts for violating its Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. Of those, 7,263,952 were suspected of belonging to someone under the age of 13. For users in that demographic, TikTok has TikTok for Younger Users, with curated content and additional safeguards in place.

    TikTok also says it removed 86.1% of videos featuring adult nudity and sexual activity proactively, before they could be reported. A total of 89.8% were removed within 24 hours of being reported.

    Similarly, when it came to videos that featured harassment and bullying the company says “66.2% were removed before they were reported to us, and 83.8% were removed within 24 hours of being posted.”

    It’s clear TikTok is working to address the criticism it has faced. It remains to be seen if such efforts will win over any critics.

  • TikTok in the Crosshairs of Dutch Consumer Group Over Data Harvesting

    TikTok in the Crosshairs of Dutch Consumer Group Over Data Harvesting

    TikTok is once again in hot water for its data practices, as a Dutch consumer group is launching a $1.8 billion claim against the company.

    TikTok is no stranger to controversy regarding its privacy and data practices. The company has faced accusations of exploiting child privacy, discrimination, lawsuits, bans — from corporations and the military — and criticism for being “fundamentally parasitic.”

    The Consumentenbond, along with the foundation Take Back Your Privacy, is bringing the claim against TikTok, according to ABC News.

    “The conduct of TikTok is pure exploitation,” Consumentenbond director Sandra Molenaar said in a statement. “The company earns hundreds of millions per year on the backs of children. And that while privacy law prescribes that children should receive additional protection.”

    TikTok has received a reprieve in the US, as the Biden administration has halted the previous administration’s attempts to ban TikTok. The company has drawn increased scrutiny from the EU, however, and this latest claim could have major repercussions.

  • TikTok Updates Terms to Collect Biometric Data

    TikTok Updates Terms to Collect Biometric Data

    TikTok is at it again, threatening user privacy as it updates its terms to collect biometric data.

    TikTok is one of the most controversial social media platforms, in large part due to its repeated, flagrant disregard for privacy. The company has been sued over accusations it collected and uploaded videos to servers in China without consent, without the user even having an account. The company has been accused of repeatedly violating child privacy, censoring individuals it didn’t consider beautiful enough to be showcased and has been warned by the EU over its handling of data. Even the CEO of Reddit called the platform “fundamentally parasitic.”

    The latest controversy involves a change to the company’s privacy policy, allowing it to collect biometric data.

    We may collect biometric identifiers and biometric information as defined under US laws, such as faceprints and voiceprints, from your User Content. Where required by law, we will seek any required permissions from you prior to any such collection.

    In many ways, the change is not particularly surprising. The company recently settled a lawsuit in Illinois for $92 million over its handling of biometric data. Notably, the company never admitted to the accusations in the aforementioned lawsuit. The change to the company’s privacy policy, however, gives it the ability to do what it was accused of doing, while committing to following applicable laws.

    All of which does little to change the validity of Reddit’s CEO that the platform is “fundamentally parasitic,” and not one anybody concerned about privacy should have on their phone.

  • TikTok Tackling Cyberbullying With Mass Comment Deletion

    TikTok Tackling Cyberbullying With Mass Comment Deletion

    TikTok is taking steps to combat cyberbullying by giving users the ability to mass-delete comments.

    TikTok has quickly skyrocketed in popularity with users around the world, quickly becoming one of the most popular social media platforms. Unfortunately, as with all social media, cyberbullying can be a major problem. TikTok has been working to combat bullying, giving users the tools they need to fight back.

    The most recent feature being rolled out is the ability to mass-delete comments and block accounts. The feature is particularly useful given the current social media climate, where large numbers of individuals can quickly gang up on a single user, overwhelming their account with negative comments.

    To manage interactions on a video, people can long-press on a comment or tap the pencil icon in the upper left corner to open a window of options. From there, people can now select up to 100 comments or accounts rather than having to go one by one, making it more seamless to delete or report multiple comments or block users in bulk.

    TikTok says the feature is rolling out in select markets, with global rollout happening over the next several weeks.

  • CEO of TikTok’s Parent Company Stepping Down

    CEO of TikTok’s Parent Company Stepping Down

    The founder of TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, is stepping down as CEO amid some of its biggest challenges.

    TikTok drew the ire of the Trump administration over privacy and security concerns. The company has had a number of major missteps, including being accused of sending data to China, violating child privacy and running afoul of EU privacy laws. The Trump administration approved a ban against the platform in an effort to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American company. Oracle and Walmart eventually emerged as the winning candidates.

    Ultimately, the ban and forced sale was tied up in court. The change in administrations added to the chaos, with the Biden administration wanting to evaluate whether a ban was warranted.

    With the platform’s future still in question, ABC News is reporting that founder Zhang Yiming is stepping down, to be replaced by Liang Rubo, another co-founder. Zhang said the change would allow “enable me to have greater impact on longer-term initiatives,” although he did not detail what those initiates may be.