TikTok has launched an alternate model of app in Europe which seemingly goals to to place extra deal with the optimistic, helpful features of the TikTok expertise by way of the incorporation of a brand new initiative that makes it simpler to assist charity organizations within the app,
TikTok’s new app is known as “TikTok Professional,” and is now obtainable for obtain in Germany, Portugal and Spain, with extra areas to comply with. TikTok says that the alternate model of the app will enable “folks to expertise and have interaction with joyful and entertaining content material.”
Which suggests that that is completely different to the primary TikTok app, due to the deal with optimistic, academic content material.
As per the TikTok Professional description on the German App Retailer:
“TikTok Professional is a world video neighborhood the place you possibly can uncover the good, funniest, and most academic quick movies and share particular moments with your mates. A helpful app with an entire world inside itself. TikTok Professional offers you the very best video expertise with useful movies, partaking STEM content material, and extra private expression.”
So it feels like a customized, extra positivity-focused TikTok expertise, although TikTok has knowledgeable me that this isn’t the case.
TikTok says that the content material in TikTok Professional is strictly the identical because the movies which can be displayed in the primary app.
So what’s the distinction?
Properly, TikTok Professional is solely targeted on the content material, with no live-streams, no procuring, and no adverts.
Sure, no adverts. TikTok says that the concept is to encourage non TikTok customers to check out the app, with all of those different components eliminated to simplify the expertise.
The opposite key distinction is that TikTok Professional additionally comes with TikTok’s new “Sunshine” program in-built, which “provides a novel method for charities and NGOs to have interaction with new audiences, and permits the TikTok Professional neighborhood to assist them.”
As per TikTok:
“Customers can accumulate ‘digital Sunshine’ by referring others to hitch and by partaking with content material from charities, comparable to liking or reposting charity movies, following charity-related accounts and performing charity-related searches. Individuals can then use that digital Sunshine on a charity within the programme, and TikTok will make a donation to that charity.”
So once more, it’s common TikTok, however a simplified model, with charity donation processes constructed into the app direct. So it’s much less about getting you to purchase stuff, and extra about getting you to assist others, with the entire precept of the brand new app being targeted on facilitating a simplified expertise.
So why does TikTok want one other app to do that?
I requested precisely this, and TikTok defined that it is about showcasing the app’s content material to extra folks, with out a number of the common components. TikTok says that this isn’t about re-focusing on extra optimistic components, as such, however the removing of adverts and procuring, in addition to live-streaming, does appear to counsel that these might be components that don’t attraction to some audiences, for no matter cause.
It is also an try to higher align with native market regulators and guidelines, with TikTok nonetheless below scrutiny in lots of areas.
Certainly, German politicians have repeatedly raised questions in regards to the app, with some suggesting that TikTok ought to be banned because of the hazard it poses to democracy, as “an instrument” in China and Russia’s hybrid warfare.”
The EU Fee has additionally raised questions on TikTok’s affect on youthful customers particularly, after current controversy across the rise of the #SkinnyTok hashtag, which inspired doubtlessly dangerous behaviors. EU regulators are additionally nonetheless exploring TikTok’s algorithmic strategy with respect to the EU Digital Providers Act, and it might be that this new TikTok Professional app aligns with broader efforts by TikTok to handle associated issues.
And whereas TikTok says that this isn’t meant to supply a extra optimistic consumer expertise, as such, that’s an attention-grabbing consideration within the context of how the native Chinese language model of TikTok operates, with the Chinese language Authorities overseeing content material tendencies, and guaranteeing that extra helpful components are promoted to Chinese language youth.
My preliminary view was that this might be an experiment on that entrance, although I doubt that many non-Communist nations can be overly welcoming of such controls.
TikTok says that this isn’t the case both method, with the streamlined model of the app designed solely to higher spotlight TikTok’s predominant content material feed. I imply, I don’t know why you’d want one other app for that, particularly on the danger of cannibalizing your predominant app, however that’s what TikTok tells me is the purpose.
TikTok says that it’s partnering with plenty of international and native charities on its Sunshine program, together with Médecins Sans Frontières / Docs With out Borders (MSF), WaterAid, Aktion Deutschland Hilft and the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). It’s additionally trying so as to add extra charity companions over time.
It looks as if an attention-grabbing idea, although it’ll most likely be a tough promote getting folks to change over to an alternate, much less practical model of the app.
However then once more, that’s not the purpose, it is targeted on increasing TikTok’s attain with non-users, although having them in an alternate app doesn’t actually make a lot sense as a progress technique.
Possibly, finally, TikTok will have the ability to pitch this different model as an possibility for youthful customers, or TikTok might look to push it in different methods.
Both method, it’s an attention-grabbing growth amid ongoing issues about social media regulation and restriction.
