Facebook imitates the TikTok theme through Instagram reels

Inspired by Tiktok, Facebook introduces Instagram reels allowing users to create short, vertical videos with music being played and allowing for special effects in the background.

Facebook has launched it in 51 more countries, including the United States. The idea has already been made familiar amongst celebrities like Jessica Alba, posting a clip of her with her family, working on the promotion of her company’s masks. Mindy Kaling, a comedian has been showing off her workout during quarantine through Instagram reels.

well… this looks familiar 🤔😉 https://t.co/V8GyRSXkPu

— TikTok (@tiktok_us) August 6, 2020

However, this has come as a result of some heated discussions between the US and China, with the White House expressing its issues of data security. Earlier, Microsoft was considering taking over TikTok’s operations in the US from China’s ByteDance. Under pressure from the White House, ByteDance has given a green light to the divesting of TikTok’s US operations.

Having a common goal of pulling teenagers all over the world towards this app, a conflict has arisen between China and the US who share a relatively identical application. Kevin Mayer, the CEO of TikTok has called the Instagram Reels a ‘Copycat product’. However, this is not the first time the US has been involved in such a controversy. It had to face charges earlier for imitating Snapchat as well. Facebook’s Vice President, Vishal Shah has commented on the scenario saying, “Inspiration for products comes from everywhere.”

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Facebook has not yet planned to allow users to make money through reels but it has gotten famous dancers and musicians on board like Marick Hanna and Tiagz, a TikTok star who has signed a deal with Sony/ATV. Joe Gaglies, the CEO of Influencer Marketing agency Viral Nation has commented on Reels saying, “They’re a huge monstrous threat (to TikTok),” he said. “The current turmoil couldn’t be playing more into (Instagram’s) court to launch this thing.”