Instagram is reportedly considering launching its short-form video feature, Reels, as a separate app as the future of Chinese-owned TikTok remains uncertain in the US.
TikTok was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores on Jan. 18 to comply with a law that requires ByteDance to divest the app or be banned in the U.S.
Facebook and TikTok pledge to fight EU disinformation, while Elon Musk’s X withdraws from the regulatory code.
McCourt’s Project Liberty advocacy group submitted a bid to buy the U.S. assets of TikTok in early January with plans to run the app on the group’s technology, which aims to let users choose how their data will be used and shared. TikTok has sued to block the U.S. ban, but the Supreme Court upheld it in a decision last month.
A report by Australias online safety regulator revealed that children can easily bypass social media age restrictions, prompting the government to enforce a landmark ban for users under 16 by late 2025.