🤝 TikTok's Social Shift

FEATURE

TikTok makes Social a priority in the next phase

Last year a TikTok Executive claimed the app is an entertainment, not social media, platform. Some would say that was only to deflect attention from regulators. But facilitating social interactions has clearly never been a top priority for TikTok.

That could be about to change.

Axios reported that TikTok has posted a range of new roles. The team will be building social networking and private messaging features.

The company sees users turning to other apps when they want to share and discuss TikTok videos.

Although, the challenge TikTok has will be getting users to build their social graph on their platform - given that users' social networks are already established on Meta.

As part of the hiring, the new team will also focus on big improvements to direct messaging.

Why now? Direct competitors aside, TikTok is expanding into Ecommerce & music streaming. So retaining users within the app will be crucial to support the next phase of their plan.

Sources: Axios, The Verge, Engadget

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