Reddit CEO warns against ‘parasitic’ TikTok, claims app is spyware
Reddit co-founder and CEO Steve Huffman called out TikTok, including its fingerprinting technology, and said that he has advised people not to install the app.
As coronavirus myths infect social media, WHO joins TikTok to inject truth
The World Health Organization is aiming to fight back against coronavirus misinformation by joining TikTok.
Moment’s new ‘vibey’ video app Rtro is your ticket to TikTok stardom
The iOS app serves up 14 filters inspired by old film and TV effects. Free to download, an in-app purchase is required to unlock the full collection of looks.
Digital Trends Live: Xbox specs, ‘cloud raves,’ no TikTok for TSA
On this Digital Trends Live, we talk the top trending tech topics of the day, including new Xbox specs, “cloud raves” in China, the TSA bans TikTok, and more.
Fashion Week isn’t about models anymore — it’s about the influencers
TikTok's Charli D’Amelio attends the Prada show. YouTube's Emma Chamberlain vloggs for Louis Vuitton. Social media influencers are taking over Fashion Week.
What does it take to make a social media network that doesn’t exploit users?
Social media sites can be fun and silly but also grab all your data to keep you hooked. Some sites want to be a refuge from harassment but haven't caught on the way Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok have. Is there a way to be both popular and good?
Teens are so obsessed with TikTok that it’s finally adding parental controls
To curb how much time younger people spend on TikTok, the app rolled out parental controls to allow parents to set how long their kids can use the video app.
Instagram wants to be both YouTube and TikTok, but it’s succeeding at neither
Instagram's dismissal of the IGTV button on its main app signals the video platform's growing troubles as competitors like TikTok continue to rise. IGTV, while trying to take on both TikTok and YouTube, has evolved into a confusing offering and pushed users to look elsewhere for their vertical content.
TikTok beats Facebook, Messenger in 2019 with over 700 million downloads
TikTok was downloaded more than 700 million times in 2019, beating Facebook and Messenger and behind only WhatsApp. The music video app's top market in terms of downloads was India, despite a brief ban in April, but most of its revenue was earned in China, the home market of owner Bytedance.
Digital Trends Live: Day 3 from the Consumer Electronics Show 2020
It’s Day 3 of the Consumer Electronics Show, which means another special episode of Digital Trends Live. On today’s show, hosts Greg Nibler and Maude Garrett bring you more than eight hours of coverage, highlights, and trending tech stories live from the annual show in Las Vegas.
TikTok vulnerability could have allowed hackers to take over users’ profiles
Security research firm, Check Point says it found multiple severe loopholes within short-form video app, TikTok that could have potentially allowed hackers to take over users’ accounts, access their private data, and upload videos on their behalf. The vulnerabilities have now been patched.
ByteDance hides code in TikTok for feature that makes deepfakes
An Israeli startup discovered code for a deepfake video maker hidden in TikTok and its Chinese sister app Douyin. The feature, which requests users to scan their faces, was seemingly complete and works seamlessly, but it remains unclear if it will be made available to the general public.
Digital Trends Live: CES 2020 rumors, the Army bans TikTok, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Nicole Raney dig into the biggest trending topics in tech, including CES 2020 rumors, TikTok banned by the Army, Chrysler’s concept car, Google A.I. spots cancer faster than doctors, Seoul to predict crime via A.I. cameras, and more.
The 2010s were a difficult decade for photography, but it’s not black and white
A decade of decline for camera sales was met by a cascade of creativity resulting from the rise of the smartphone and social media. It hasn't all been good, but photography remains a core component of human expression.
Digital Trends Live: Spying TVs, Pablo Escobar’s brother’s folding smartphone
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the biggest trending topics of the day, including Putin’s Russian app law, the FBI warns about spying TVs, TikTok in hot water, airport facial scanning, Pablo Escobar’s brother makes a folding smart phone, police get access to Ring, and more.
TikTok lawsuit claims video app ‘vacuums up’ user data and sends it to China
A lawsuit has been filed in California against video social network TikTok, which claims the app collects user data and sends it to China, something the firm has denied in the past. Although owned by a Chinese company, TikTok says it operates independently, and stores U.S. user data on U.S. servers.
Digital Trends Live: Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, more Stadia games, Iron Man jet suit
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Drew Prindle break down the biggest trending stories in tech, including Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, more Stadia games, TikTok as a music service, an Iron Man jet-suit, a Boring dig in Las Vegas, and more.
TikTok owner Bytedance aims to launch a music-streaming app before year’s end
A new report Bytedance will announce a new music streaming app next month in a bunch of countries including India, Brazil, and Indonesia. The subscription will likely be paid, however, it will be priced competitively, and may undercut incumbents such as Spotify and Amazon Music.
Clone wars: Instagram is ripping off TikTok because no one likes Facebook
Instagram is capitalizing by the popularity of lip-syncing apps like TikTok and launching its own tool for music videos to Stories. Instagram Reels is a tool that allows users to record 15-second videos to music. The tool is first launching in Brazil today.
Digital Trends Live: Blizzard apologizes, TikTok’s smartphone, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Riley Winn discuss the top stories in tech, including Blizzard apologizing, TikTok is making a smartphone, Instagram is causing yoga injuries, MIT’s robot cubes, drones controlled by smart gloves could be used to explore Mars, and more.
TikTok can now be integrated into your favorite video-editing apps
Editing a video for TikTok just got simpler. TikTok has launched an SDK that allows third-party apps to add a share to TikTok tool, opening up more possibilities for editing videos for the popular platform. The first apps to add the tool include Premiere Rush, Plotaverse, PicsArt, and more.
TikTok and Kakao revive the trend of social companies launching smartphones
Bytedance, the company behind the TikTok video app, and South Korea's Kakao, which operates KakaoTalk, have both announced smartphones, restarting a dormant trend of social firms making hardware with quick access to their respective apps. Time has not been kind to these examples in the past, but that could change.
U.S. government launches national security investigation into TikTok
The U.S. government has launched a national security investigation into the popular app TikTok. The national security review is specifically looking into the China-based company’s acquisition of the app Musical.ly. TikTok purchased the company for $1 billion roughly two years ago.
Digital Trends Live: Facebook’s news tab, TikTok investigated, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, hosts Greg Nibler and Drew Prindle dig into the biggest trending tech stories of the day, including Facebook’s new “news” tab, senators investigate TikTok, lasers shoot down drones, HBO subscribers may get HBO MAX free next year, and more.
Senators call for investigation into TikTok for ‘counterintelligence threat’
Does giving your data to an app-based in China create a national security risk? Two U.S. senators are calling for an investigation into TikTok over data sharing, freedom of speech, and foreign interference. The request comes from Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Republican Sen. Tom Cotton.
TikTok removed dozens of accounts that were posting ISIS propaganda
TikTok has reportedly removed around two dozen accounts from its platform after they posted extremist propaganda in the app, specifically promoting the work of ISIS. Several of the accounts had reached over 1,000 followers before they were removed from the platform.
Do Threads’ sparse downloads mean Facebook’s best days are in the past?
Instagram Threads only saw a small percentage of downloads in the first week -- so is the new app destined for failure? Data shows a small number of downloads as Threads joins Lasso in the list of Facebook's attempts to captivate Gen Z, both with slower growth than competing apps.
TikTok’s creepy new feature lets you search for videos based on people’s faces
You’ll soon be able to look up the faces featured in a TikTok clip. The Bytedance-owned short-form video app is testing a new reverse-image search tool in China. In addition to items such as clothes, the feature will allow you to select a face and browse other videos the person it belongs to appears in.
How to use TikTok
TikTok is the free entertainment app that focuses on short, musical videos created by users. You can scroll through millions of videos uploaded by other users, or you can get creative and make your own videos. Here's how to use TikTok to make awesome videos, or to just get some laughs.
Report: ByteDance is developing a TikTok-branded smartphone
ByteDance the parent company of music-based social media network TikTok, has confirmed that it is developing its own smartphone. Details are still scarce, but it's likely that the device will put an emphasis on the TikTok social media network, instead of trying to compete with Samsung and Apple.
TikTok under investigation again over collection of children’s personal data
TikTok is under investigation in the U.K. for how it collects, handles, and uses the personal information of kids, following a similar action in the U.S. that resulted in a $5.7 million fine. The music video sharing app may be in violation of the European Union's data privacy laws.
TikTok owner ByteDance reportedly building its own smartphone
ByteDance, the owner of popular short video app TikTok, is reportedly building its own smartphone. The selling point of such a device, which would contain pre-loaded apps, remains unclear, though a smartphone that will be somehow optimized for TikTok may find its niche.
Snap reportedly wants more music in Snapchat to compete against TikTok
Snap is in discussions with major record labels for broader licensing deals, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan is to add more musical features to Snapchat, in order to better compete against the offerings of rival apps such as TikTok and Instagram that allow song clips to be added to posts.
Lip-syncing app TikTok faces record FTC fine for illegally collecting kids’ data
TikTok's karaoke-like music videos are popular among youth, but the platform has been illegally collecting data from children. The app is now facing a $5.7 million fine from the FTC -- the largest one in the category yet -- for failing to get parental consent for children on the app.