TikTok is no longer available in the US.
Also, Instagram Reels can be three minutes long now.
We interrupt this pregame to share that TikTok is no longer available “for now” in the United States, voluntarily going dark a few hours ahead of the imminent ban.
Here is a screenshot of what happens when you try to open TikTok on your mobile or desktop in the US right now:
TikTok has been pulled from the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android).
In fact, the top App Store result when you search “TikTok” is an app called Instagram:
Meanwhile, here is a Reel of Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, posted earlier today.
In it, Mosseri announces that Instagram Reels can be 3 minutes long now, up from 90 seconds.
This also comes on a day when the entire layout of Instagram was changed. Carousel posts are more frequently popping up on the Reels feed (a la TikTok slideshows), and the overall aspect ratio of one’s profile has adjusted from 1:1 (square) to 4:5 (closer to the TikTok “vertical” ratio of 9:16).
If I didn’t know any better, I’d start thinking all these events are connected.
If Mosseri and Zuck (no relation!!) wanted to improve their Q-rating, they’d institute a meaningful Creator Rewards program on Instagram with a favorable RPM (see: YouTube) to garner public support, instead of letting all of TikTok’s users flock to the Chinese-owned Xiaohongshu, which is currently the top app on the App Store.
Instead, these changes likely foreshadow the eventual introduction of midroll advertisements on Instagram.
Finally, some more ads on Instagram!
And,
