PAKISTAN: TikTok on Friday announced to expand its suite of creation tools in a bid to foster authentic and spontaneous connections on the platform with its latest feature TikTok Now.
"TikTok Now is the newest way to be entertained and connect with others on TikTok — a daily photo and video experience where users can share their most authentic moments with the people who matter the most. TikTok Now brings the authenticity of TikTok to a whole new creative experience that connects communities with those close to them," the video-sharing app shared in a statement.
TikTok Now invites users and their friends to capture what they're doing at the moment using their device's front and back camera. Users will receive a daily prompt to capture a 10-second video or a static photo to quickly and easily share what they're up to.
The video-sharing platform shared that it is experimenting with TikTok Now over the coming weeks.
"TikTok Now can be accessed from both TikTok and the new TikTok Now app. In some countries, TikTok Now may be available within TikTok, downloadable as a new TikTok Now app, or available in both formats. TikTok will continue to enhance the user experience as they learn more about how the TikTok community embraces this new creative format," the statement read.
The feature is designed with the safety and privacy of the community in mind. TikTok stated in its statement that creators are in control of deciding who can view or engage with their content.
"They can block others and choose which comments appear on their content. And if someone comes across behaviour they believe may violate the Community Guidelines, they can report it for review," TikTok shared.
TikTok further shared that it has taken steps to help support the safety and well-being of teens.
The statement said that if someone under the age of 16 creates an account to use the TikTok Now app, just like TikTok, their account will be private by default, while those under the age of 18 will not be able to share their content to the Explore feed.
"People aged between 13 and 15 will have commenting options limited to Friends only to help protect against unwanted interactions," said TikTok, adding that those 18 and above have additional sharing settings.
"In addition to sharing with mutual friends, they can opt to share their posts with the broader TikTok Now community based on the privacy settings they have chosen. The default setting is 'Friends can view'," the statement read.
The option 'Friends can view' allows "Anyone who follows you, and you follow back can view your TikTok Now", while if a user selects 'Everyone' then anyone in their area can view their TikTok Now posts.
"Keep in mind, people that don't follow you or you don't follow back can't comment or interact with your TikTok Now posts," the app informed its users.
Here's how users can change the privacy settings for TikTok Now:
ATC grants relief to PTI founder's wife in cases related to November protest
Man exposes himself to female polio worker in Karachi’s Surjani Town
NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has contacted PM Shehbaz regarding formation of negotiation committee, says PML-N leader
Justice Mandokhail expresses displeasure over performance of the state institutions
Premier's orders come after Greek boat tragedy in which 40 Pakistani nationals suspected to be dead
Court says pleas became “infructuous” after indictment of accused in the case