Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

joinloops.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 411 posts

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#22

Post by OrangePilled »

dangus wrote: post #15
Pulcinella wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint: The format is bad. The constant stream of videos, skipping between videos at (relatively) your own pace, the anticipation about the next video; it's similar to electronic gambling machines.

To use the analogy of other vice industries like gambling or alcohol, would you rather buy those products from shady unregulated vendors or more transparent regulated entities? That’s the type of analogy we might make in this case. Obviously many people (literally billions) like this format and use it in relative moderation to unwind and kill time. Hell, I’ve even gotten productive helpful information out of the form…

[dead]

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#24

Post by logicchains »

Pulcinella wrote: post #12
umairnadeem123 wrote: post #9

[dead]

Counterpoint: The format is bad. The constant stream of videos, skipping between videos at (relatively) your own pace, the anticipation about the next video; it's similar to electronic gambling machines.

>electronic gambling machines.

Gambling is bad because it wastes people's money. Short-form videos just waste people's time, the same as the hours of television that older generations spend watching every day but with more diversified propaganda.

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#25

Post by nagaiaida »

ftchd wrote: post #19

I want this to be succesful so much, but almost nothing works in the mobile app Needed 2 tries to sign up, and uploading a video from the camera roll failed (5-7 tries)

yeah, there's a consistent pattern of overpromising across this and other projects by the same person

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#26

Post by SilverElfin »

There have already been some TikTok alternatives that have become popular after it got bought by the Trump / Oracle / Silver Lake group of buyers.

One alternative I’ve heard of that apparently became popular is Skylight: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/26/tiktok-alternative-skyligh...

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#27

Post by Avicebron »

CharlesW wrote: post #20
weezing wrote: post #7

This form of content is bad regardless of platform.

The problem with TikTok isn't the form, which is effectively StumbleUpon for short-form video (or Dave Winer's "river of news" in video form, if you prefer). There's brainrot content on all platforms, but there's also ArtTok, BookTok, CraftTok, EduTok, FoodTok, GardenTok, HistoryTok, MathTok, MusicTok, PoliTok, ScienceTok, TechTok, and lots more.

I'm pretty sure BookTok is just porn for women who really like the plot of 50 shades of grey..

edit: which is to say I'm not positive the format isn't the problem.

Re: Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok

#28

Post by gempir »

Good that they have a web version.

But the most basic functionality of going to the next video is only available via scroll (no keyboard arrow down?) and it has a really long animation and delay?

Just feels awful to use.

I feel if you wanna win in this space, especially with people who prefer more "free" platforms, then the non-app version should be a bigger priority IMO.

Post reply on HN