In one-on-one and group chats on TikTok, users will now be able to exchange up to nine photos or videos and give voice notes. TikTok informed TechCrunch on Friday that it is offering users additional ways to communicate with others through direct messages (DMs).
TikTok is attempting to establish itself as a platform that facilitates regular user interaction beyond the simple exchange of TikTok videos by introducing these new capabilities. The new features also make TikTok’s messaging experience more comparable to other well-known social media platforms.
Users can record and send up to 60-second audio messages using voice notes. The feature is being introduced at a time when voice notes can already be sent to people via direct messages on apps like Apple Messages, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Since more and more individuals, especially Gen Z, are using voice notes for communication, it makes sense for TikTok to incorporate them into its direct messages. According to TikTok, the feature will be available over the coming weeks.
Users have two options for sharing images and videos: they may either take one with their camera or choose one from their camera roll to share. Additionally, they have the option to revise the content before sending it.
People cannot send a picture or a video as their first message request for user safety. For instance, if someone communicates you for the first time, they are only able to share content that is already on TikTok and cannot transmit a picture or video that they took themselves. In addition, TikTok will remind users to safeguard their privacy and consider the recipients of any photos or videos they want to share.
Although users under 16 cannot send direct messages on TikTok, the firm is implementing safeguards for users aged 16 to 18. TikTok, for example, has automatic methods in place to identify and filter images that contain nudity. This implies that the recipient won’t see the nude photo at all and that the sender will be prevented from transmitting it.
In the app’s settings, users who are older than eighteen can opt to activate this safety measure. According to TikTok, the new capabilities give users a way to engage with people and express themselves in ways they are already used to.
TikTok has been working to expand its messaging product when the move was made. The platform introduced group chats last year, enabling users to communicate with up to 32 individuals simultaneously. Additionally, TikTok just launched Creator Chat Rooms, a platform specifically designed to facilitate communication and interaction between creators and their followers.
