According to reports, Facebook will be launch its very own rival to viral social media platform; TikTok which is hugely popular among young adults and teenagers alike. The video editing application which is called ‘Instagram Reels’ will be going Live this August.
The video platform; Instagram Reels, will allow its users create short videos that are creative and also set to or with music. Just like TikTok right? If you had that thought, you are not entirely wrong. It does sound like TikTok. A whole lot.
The Instagram Reels application, is currently being tested in India, France, Brazil and Germany. It is expecting to officially go Live in the United States early August, with availability to the rest of the world in effect, shortly after that.
Speaking to USA Today via email a Facebook spokesperson said, “The community in our test countries has shown so much creativity in short-form video, and we’ve heard from creators and people around the world that they’re eager to get started as well.”
The Reels application, is rumoured to be packed with a large number of features. It will be linked to Instagram thus allowing its users to share their Reels videos directly to their Instagram Stories.
The Reels app is home to a ton of video editing features, and it connects to Instagram, allowing users to share the finished product to their Stories. Reel Users will also be able to post their Reels videos on their Instagram profiles.
If your Instagram account is public, the video will be able to pop up on Instagram’s Explore section.
This move by Facebook, is coming after the United States government intensified its investigation into TikTok and how it utilizes user data. The US government is also considering placing a ban on TikTok in the United States, as a result of cyber security fears, with the US Navy already placing a ban stopping its personnel from downloading the TikTok application on any government issued mobile device.
Facebook and its acquired companies have in the past, been accusing of copying popular features of its competitors. In 2016 Facebook owned social media platform; Instagram introduced the Stories feature which many call a Snapchat clone. WhatsApp and Facebook introduced similar tools a year later.
In 2020 Facebook also launched its own interpretation of the popular Bitmoji which are personalized avatars that are quite popular with Snapchat users.
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