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TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

bbc.com

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Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#61

Post by mrkramer »

Merem wrote: post #55
stevewodil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Snapchat and Instagram both introduced video features around the time Vine started declining. Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. There was a lot of new video apps after Vine died, none of them were successful.

Is it? I took a look at it after someone mentioned some days ago that it's available on the web, no account required. Searching for videos is pretty terrible, so I did want to create an account for more possibilities but that wasn't possible on the desktop. Then I installed Bluestacks, installed Tiktok, created a dummy account and took a proper look that time. The "For You" stuff was rather useless, so I searched for…

TikTok is popular for the same reason why Facebook was super popular back in the day; constantly checking for new short videos is akin to constantly checking for new status updates, new photo uploads and new DMs but now all that Facebook activity dissolved into various platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok. On top of that it is easier for content creators to create short videos than for example 20 min long YouTube videos meaning barrier to entry is much lower.

Also teens and young people in general say that their parents and grandparents moved to Facebook because of which they do not feel comfortable doing all the shenanigans on the Facebook anymore.

Zuckerberg was genius and cursed at the same time because he created social network for everything or in another words for general content(text, photos, videos etc.) but he didn't specialize in any until recently when he and his team started paying attention to each and every of this content category.

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#62

Post by hellomyguys »

Merem wrote: post #55
stevewodil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Snapchat and Instagram both introduced video features around the time Vine started declining. Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. There was a lot of new video apps after Vine died, none of them were successful.

Is it? I took a look at it after someone mentioned some days ago that it's available on the web, no account required. Searching for videos is pretty terrible, so I did want to create an account for more possibilities but that wasn't possible on the desktop. Then I installed Bluestacks, installed Tiktok, created a dummy account and took a proper look that time. The "For You" stuff was rather useless, so I searched for…

I would recommend using it a bit more. The algorithm is generally pretty good, it just takes some time to learn your interests.

The reason they don't have all those filtering options is probably because most people don't want to use them and it's fun to see video content from all around the world and even in different languages. Serendipity on TikTok is part of the appeal.

Although it wasn't the case for you, I'd say TikTok probably has the best cold-start experience of any consumer content app. For comparison, try creating a new account on YouTube or IG.

Still get that TikTok may not be for everyone, but imo it feels like the end game design of short video content consumption. The content can be really fun, silly, pointless, mundane, or educational. You don't need to follow people. Celebs are not as relevant. Don't like something? Just swipe up. It's a pretty refreshing take.

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#63

Post by hellomyguys »

intricatedetail wrote: post #37

In my opinion, TikTok is a network of wilful informants and a dataset that can be used to train AI at recognising foreigners so they can be more easily spied on when in China. It can also be used as a basis for race segregation programs and help run concentration camps in China (e.g. spotting "western" behaviour in the population and automatically issuing a ticket to reeducation camp). I think that service should be…

What do you think the CIA does with all the data they get/hack from American companies?

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#64

Post by foolfoolz »

jwist wrote: post #52
stevewodil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Snapchat and Instagram both introduced video features around the time Vine started declining. Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. There was a lot of new video apps after Vine died, none of them were successful.

TikTok most definitely filled the void left by Vine. Vine was short video, usually chopped up, lots of one person skits. That type of content was not popping up on Instagram or Snapchat. Snapchat video would disappear, Instagram video felt more like a typical Instagram post but with video, or just throw away stories. TikTok came in with short videos, collaboration tools, audio sharing, and has a realness that Instagr…

vine was used by almost no one. tiktok didn’t fill a void, it created a new space. all the reasons tik tok is successful didn’t exist on vine. the only thing they share is video

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#65

Post by Merem »

hellomyguys wrote: post #62
Merem wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it? I took a look at it after someone mentioned some days ago that it's available on the web, no account required. Searching for videos is pretty terrible, so I did want to create an account for more possibilities but that wasn't possible on the desktop. Then I installed Bluestacks, installed Tiktok, created a dummy account and took a proper look that time. The "For You" stuff was rather useless, so I searched for…

I would recommend using it a bit more. The algorithm is generally pretty good, it just takes some time to learn your interests. The reason they don't have all those filtering options is probably because most people don't want to use them and it's fun to see video content from all around the world and even in different languages. Serendipity on TikTok is part of the appeal. Although it wasn't the case for you, I'd say…

It can't learn my interests if I don't see any new videos though. As I wrote, it's just the same over and over and over again. Usually one would mix in something completely different...which it doesn't do. That applies to the content and the music. And it's not like I'm not interested in things. On the contrary, my interests touch a large variety of topics but I never get a book recommendation, classical music played on different instruments, sports etc etc.

Actually, it starts you off with your native language only at first IIRC. I increased it to seven different ones which didn't matter at all and then decreased it to three. And again, no difference.

I don't use any social media and all the "celebrity" stuff is generally not for me at all. So I can't really compare the experience to anything.

Though, I guess I can attribute the success to what the others said, despite its demerits:

- really low barrier of entry (mrkramer)

- organic feeling, as opposed to corporate-controlled/generated (alexgmcm)

The addictive nature of seeing what comes next likely also plays a role.

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#66

Post by ffggvv »

funny reading the naive comments here that think his statements reflect the real reason he stepped down and not that the CCP forced him to amid a broader crackdown in china on tech companies

guess that’s what happens when you’re in a tech bubble and totally oblivious to world affairs or news

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#68

Post by _fzslm »

adventured wrote: post #50
blueblisters wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TikTok will surpass Facebook as the most engaging social media app in the US with fewer DAUs than Facebook. It's already at par [1] according to some data. ByteDance might become the most valuable company in the world, not just in China. [1] https://twitter.com/TurnerNovak/status/1394704798591590401?s...

That's never going to happen. TikTok is already losing engagement in the US. The TikTok problem is that there are only so many cloned dances to do and very short form video is overwhelmingly low value garbage. Ever look at the TikTok channels for prominent celebrities? The content is horrible. It's embarrassing to look at their channels. It's inherent to the format. The sole thing propping up TikTok in the US - which…

> The sole thing propping up TikTok in the US - which is already beginning to fade - is the popularity of young people cloning mediocre dance routines. There is only so far for that one trick pony to go, it becomes increasingly boring with time.

for the first 15 minutes, sure.

once TikTok starts to understand what kind of content you're interested in (and it does this quite quickly), this problem disappears. i can't remember the last time i saw content like that.

it's almost like the difference between YouTube signed out vs signed in.

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#69

Post by mrkramer »

hellomyguys wrote: post #51
stevewodil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Snapchat and Instagram both introduced video features around the time Vine started declining. Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. There was a lot of new video apps after Vine died, none of them were successful.

>Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. I don't really think that's the case. I'd still argue lack of investment from Twitter is what killed Vine. >TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. Agree it's fair to say TikTok carved their own path to where they are today, but a lot of the same Vine-energy lives on in TikT…

TikTok is the evolution of Vine just like Facebook was the evolution of MySpace.

Re: TikTok's co-founder to step down as chief executive

#70

Post by stevewodil »

hellomyguys wrote: post #51
stevewodil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Snapchat and Instagram both introduced video features around the time Vine started declining. Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. There was a lot of new video apps after Vine died, none of them were successful.

>Instagram's video support is what killed the Vine userbase as the big creators moved off of Vine. I don't really think that's the case. I'd still argue lack of investment from Twitter is what killed Vine. >TikTok didn't fill a void, it's a fantastic video app that did a lot of things right. Agree it's fair to say TikTok carved their own path to where they are today, but a lot of the same Vine-energy lives on in TikT…

>I don't really think that's the case. I'd still argue lack of investment from Twitter is what killed Vine.

Conclude whatever you like, my understanding is that Instagram video directly killed Vine after the big creators had meetings with Vine executives about getting paid to stay on Vine. I guess that could be considered a lack of investment, but it can't be ignored that Instagram captured the creator base.

https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/28/13456208/why-vine-died-t...

"Former executives say that a major competitive challenged emerged in the form of Instagram, which introduced 15-second video clips in June 2013. “Instagram video was the beginning of the end,” one former executive told me. “[Vine] didn’t move fast enough to differentiate.” Instagram courted celebrities with longer videos, eventually bumping the limit to a more flexible 60 seconds. (Vines didn’t break the 6-second barrier until earlier this year, and its extended videos never caught on.) Instagram also began promoting celebrity accounts in its popular “explore” tab, bringing them attention that Vine found difficult to match. Marketers began shifting their money away from Vine, and stars followed."

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