TikTok’s Latest Feature Looks Like A Game Changer

The world of tech never stands still, so it's not surprising to see TikTok testing a game-changing new feature.

It's called TikTok Stories and it allows creators to post temporary videos that vanish after 24 hours. As its name suggests, it works in much the same way as Instagram Stories.

Screen shots of numerous tests for TikTok Stories have been shared on Twitter by tech commentator Matt Navarra. However, there's no word yet on whether TikTok is planning to roll out the new feature across the board.

A spokesperson for TikTok told the BBC somewhat teasingly: "We're always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience. Currently we're experimenting with ways to give creators additional formats to bring their creative ideas to life for the TikTok community."

Interestingly, news that TikTok is testing a vanishing videos feature comes in the same week as Twitter retired its own temporary posts format. "Fleets", which allowed users to post photos or short videos to their account for 24 hours, were discontinued on 3rd August after failing to captivate enough users.

"In the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped," Twitter's Ilya Brown said in a blog post. 

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is in the process of rolling out a feature that allows users to send photos and videos that can only be viewed once before disappearing. The messaging app told the BBC that the feature is designed to give users "even more control over their privacy".

While we await further news on TikTok Stories, there's no doubt that the app remains the go-to destination for beauty hacks, food and drink trends, and even home-cleaning tips.