(KTLA) — TikTok may soon launch a photo and text-based social media app, which many have already compared to Instagram.
Some users trying to share photos on the TikTok app reported seeing a pop-up notification informing them that their images could be shared on TikTok Notes, a new platform slated to be “coming soon.” An option to opt out of the cross-platform sharing was also available.
Modern Retail, an online news publication, reported that TikTok has been pushing users to post photos rather than short or long-form videos the platform is known for.
A website with the same name is live on the web with a nonfunctioning “open app” button. On the website, visitors can see polaroid-looking posts of still images and captions, similar to posts seen on Instagram.
TikTok representatives told BBC that the company is “working on a dedicated space for photos and text” but said a finalized version of the app wasn’t done yet, nor did they announce a potential release date.
“As part of our continued commitment to innovating the TikTok experience, we’re exploring ways to empower our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in a dedicated space for those formats,” a TikTok spokesperson told NewsNation affiliate KTLA.
The spokesperson said the app is still in its early stages and won’t be tested in the U.S., where some lawmakers are attempting to ban TikTok over data security concerns.
The social media platform hopes to support text-based posts similar to X, formerly known as Twitter, and Threads. TikTok has also experimented with supporting 30-minute videos, like content found on YouTube, TechCrunch reported.
This isn’t the first time social media companies have released their version of features found on other platforms. Instagram and Facebook, both owned by Meta, launched their version of stories in 2017 after Snapchat saw success with the limited-time viewing posts.
More recently, Instagram launched its text-based posts platform, Threads, to rival Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter.