TikTok is giving users new ways to interact in direct messages (DMs), launching the ability to send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos in one-to-one and group chats. The new capabilities bring TikTok’s messaging experience more in line with other popular social apps and position it as a platform for regular interaction beyond just video sharing.
Key Highlights
The new features add popular communication tools directly into TikTok’s DMs:
- New Features: Users can now send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos in both one-to-one and group chats.
- Voice Note Limit: Voice notes can be up to 60 seconds long.
- Safety Measures: Users cannot send an image or video as their initial message request, and automated systems are in place to detect and block nude images for users aged 16-18.
- Rollout: The features are rolling out over the next few weeks.
Enhancing the Messaging Experience
The launch of voice notes, which can be up to 60 seconds long, is a logical step for TikTok, as the format is increasingly popular, especially among Gen Z. In addition to voice notes, users can now share up to nine photos or videos in a single message, which can be taken with their camera or selected from their camera roll. Users can also edit the content before sending it.
A Focus on User Safety
The new features are launching with several safety measures in place. To protect users, people cannot send an image or video as their initial message request to someone. TikTok will also remind users to protect their privacy when they choose to send a photo or video. For users between the ages of 16 and 18, TikTok has automated systems to detect and block images containing nudity. Users over the age of 18 can choose to toggle this safety feature on in their settings.
Looking Ahead
This move is part of TikTok’s broader effort to build out its messaging product, following the launch of group chats and Creator Chat Rooms last year. For the MENA region, which has a large and highly engaged Gen Z user base, these new messaging tools are likely to be adopted quickly, further cementing TikTok’s role as a central social and communication hub.
Source: TechCrunch
