TikTok has announced that it is expanding the maximum length of videos on the platform to 10 minutes. The move is seen by analysts as the Chinese giant’s attempt to take on Google’s video platform YouTube. This is the largest increase in the length of videos TikTok has announced so far. Last July, the company increased the maximum length of videos to 3 minutes. As per social media consultant and analyst Matt Navarra, some users were given the news about the update as a notification within the app. He also said that TikTok has also been testing 3 and 5 minute upload limits with creators for some time.
It is worth noting that with the new upload length, TikTok will not only be competing with Instagram Reels, but it will also rival YouTube. For those who do not know, longer videos are easier to monetise and it keeps people on the platform for longer. Matt Navarra suggests TikTok could do with a dedicated home for longer form content in-app, as it doesn’t sit so well in the vertical feed with shorter stuff people are used to scrolling through at speed.
When it was launched in 2016, TikTok only allowed users to upload up to 15-second long videos. The length limit was later increased to up to 60 seconds to attract more creators to its platform.
As announced by TikTok earlier this month, it is also working on ways to rate and restrict content by age on the platform. With this, the company wants to prevent adult content from reaching teenage users. The platform has revealed that it is testing different ways how adult-rated content can be restricted from reaching accounts that belong to younger users.
Social media platforms have been under heavy scrutiny over their policies regarding wellbeing and safety of young users. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and others have also introduced several new features to keep young users safe on their platforms.