TikTok
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iOS 14's copy and paste detection forces TikTok to remove anti-spam feature
Unfortunately, it’s unclear if TikTok will also update its Android app to remove the same anti-spam feature for Google’s mobile platform.
Instagram is making its TikTok-like 'Reels' easier to find
Instagram's TikTok-like Reels feature now has dedicated sections, and it's finally expanding to more countries.
TikTok users and K-pop fans say they wrecked Trump's Tulsa rally
TikTok users and K-pop fans say they sabotaged Trump's Tulsa rally through campaigns to reserve tickets and not show up.
EU wants Facebook, Twitter to report monthly on fight against fake news
The EU wants Facebook, Google and Twitter to provide monthly reports on their fight against fake news.
Instagram brings commercials to IGTV to lure influencers
Instagram's IGTV is getting commercials and the company plans to share revenue.
TikTok's new CEO is Disney's former streaming leader
TikTok has picked Disney's streaming head Kevin Mayer as its new CEO.
TikTok gives parents more control over their kids' accounts
TikTok was recently fined $5.7 million for violating the child privacy act and has been criticized for putting children at risk from predators. The company is now trying to give parents more control over their kids’ privacy and security with a feature called Family Pairing. It lets parents link directly to their kids accounts and remotely disable direct messages, set screen time limits and enable “restricted content” mode.
YouTube may counter TikTok with a feed of video 'Shorts'
YouTube may be worried that TikTok is luring away its viewers. Sources talking to The Information claim YouTube is readying a Shorts feature in its mobile app that will include a remarkably familiar-sounding feed with short videos from fellow users. You could take advantage of YouTube's extensive song licensing to add the soundtrack of your choice, too. Shorts would be available by the end of 2020.
TikTok names experts who will help shape its content policies
TikTok has named the group of experts who will help guide the app's content moderation policies as part of the newly formed "Content Advisory Council." The group, chaired by George Washington University Law Professor Dawn Nunziato, is made up of academics who are experts in issues like child safety, free speech, politics, and video forensics. The seven-member council (the company says it will eventually grow to "around a dozen" people) will start meeting with TikTok's US executives later this month to discuss "critical topics around platform integrity, including policies against misinformation and election interference."
TikTok will stop using China-based moderators to screen foreign content
TikTok has already taken steps to reassure the world that the Chinese government doesn't control its app overseas, including the use of non-Chinese moderators for the US and plans for a transparency center. However, it's taking things one step further. The social media company said it will stop using China-based moderators to screen content in any other country, and that more than 100 moderators will have to either find other jobs inside parent company Bytedance or leave. Teams local to given areas should take over within a few weeks, TikTok said.
Senators want to ban TikTok from government phones
All federal government employees could soon be banned from downloading TikTok on work-issued smartphones. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) have introduced a bill that would do just that, claiming the social media app poses a national security threat. If passed, the 'No TikTok on Government Devices Act,' would bar employees of the federal government from installing the short form video app on official phones. Though, it makes exceptions for research, investigative, and national security purposes.
TikTok will open a US ‘transparency center’ to combat spying fears
Following months of criticism for its potential risk to US security, video-sharing platform TikTok says it is planning a "transparency center" to provide outsiders with reassurance about the way it runs its operations. According to TikTok, the Los Angeles-based facility will open in May and permit outside experts to observe the way the platform moderates content. It will also share details of its source code and independent security measures.
WHO joins TikTok to fight coronavirus misinformation
The World Health Organization clearly has an interest in putting a stop to coronavirus misinformation, and that's leading it to online destinations it wouldn't have considered before. The WHO has joined TikTok, and its first videos are, unsurprisingly, aimed at both reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 and setting the record straight. They explain how you can safeguard yourself and others against the virus, how to use a mask and whether or not you need a mask in the first place -- crucially, the WHO stresses that you don't need a mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms.
TSA bans employees from making TikTok videos
The Transport Security Administration (TSA) is the latest US government organization to ban the use of TikTok. The decision comes after New York Senator Chuck Schumer sent a letter to TSA administrator David Pekoske, in which he flagged a number of security concerns about China-owned app.
TikTok lets parents set time limits and vet DMs on teen accounts
As TikTok has become increasingly popular with teens, the platform has gradually introduced a number of measures to help keep young people safe -- it introduced age checks last year, and more recently it banned videos showing "underage delinquent behavior." Now, it's added a range of parental controls into the mix.
Vine successor Byte vows to fix its spam problem
Vine replacement Byte already seems to be a success, gathering not only former Vine users but the TikTok crowd, too. With that popularity has come a new problem, however: comment spam. In particular, the crowds of new users are treating Byte like a gold rush, trying to profit on the new platform's upcoming monetization by fishing for followers in the comments section. Byte is on top of the issue, however, and has promised to do something about it.
Vine co-founder launches a new 6-second video app: Byte
In 2017 Twitter pulled the plug on Vine, and left a community of extremely-short-form-video creators without a platform. Since then TikTok has flourished, but it's still not the same thing. Vine cofounder Dom Hofmann has been teasing a sequel since late in 2017, and after months of being in closed beta, Byte is now available to everyone on Android and iOS. A partner program to pay creators for their work is supposed to arrive "soon," and you sign up using either your Google account or Apple ID. If you're curious, the community guidelines are here, and the privacy notice is here. The app is video first, with a focus on getting stuff in front of you quickly just like Vine always did and TikTok does now. Will it be as addictive as either of those? Judging by the track record, probably, but it all depends on what people make of the app.
A big library of independent music is coming to TikTok
TikTok users will soon be able to choose from a huge variety of independent music to accompany their videos. Merlin, a digital rights agency for indie record labels, has signed a global partnership with the app, bringing music from labels like Epitaph and Sub Pop to TikTok's library. According to TechCrunch, the deal is also part of TikTok's rumored music streaming service, Resso, which is meant to compete with the likes of Spotify.
TikTok bans 'misleading' videos and 'underage delinquent behavior'
TikTok has given its community guidelines a pretty massive update in an effort to "maintain a supportive and welcoming environment." Its section on minor safety, for instance, looks a lot more comprehensive than before, which isn't surprising considering the platform's userbase. While the guidelines' previous version mostly just prohibited "sexually explicit content featuring minors," the new one also touches on "grooming behavior," child abuse and specifically states that TikTok does "not allow content depicting minors engaged in delinquent behavior."
TikTok fixed a flaw that could have exposed user accounts
TikTok has been the subject of national security concerns for some time, and now things are set to get a little more uncomfortable for the company. According to cybersecurity company Check Point, the popular app had serious vulnerabilities that could have allowed hackers to obtain personal information and manipulate user data.
