Team News

“Instagram” is changing its algorithm that affects “Reels” to prioritize “original content”. First of all, this will have consequences for those who mainly publish videos of other users. Also, accounts with fewer followers but who post their own videos should get better visibility this way.

In a blog post, the company stated that it is trying to correct the way accounts are ranked because, they say, historically, creators with a large number of reposts and followers have reached more users than those who create original content. It’s not clear what changes Instagram will make to equalize this, but they noted that the algorithm will no longer prioritize accounts with more followers.

The content ranking change should take effect in the coming months, while the original content change is likely to arrive much sooner. Instagram says it will actively put original videos in suggestions instead of reposted Reels when it notices the content is identical. “Also, when someone reposts someone else’s content, there will be a sign of who the original creator is. This will not apply to memes or other significantly altered content, Instagram says.

Recently, Meta has revealed details of how much ad revenue Instagram has generated over the past few years. In 2021, Instagram’s ad revenue was $32.4 billion, which is more than even video service YouTube, which generated $28.8 billion in the same year. Business Insider previously highlighted Instagram’s advantage over YouTube, noting that YouTube gives 55% of every dollar it earns from advertising to content owners who upload videos, while Instagram shares a lot less.

The European Commission has opened a case against ByteDance, alleging that its TikTok Lite app could be dangerous to children and was launched without submitting the proper documents.

TikTok Lite was first launched in 2019 in Asian test markets. The lighter version of the short video app made its debut in France and Spain last month. In a statement, the EC said ByteDance did so without complying with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

“We suspect that TikTok ‘Lite’ may be as toxic and addictive as ‘light’ cigarettes,” said Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who is responsible for implementing the DSA.

According to the Commission, ByteDance did not submit a “risk assessment report” required by the DSA of Very Large Online Platforms before launching any new functionality such as TikTok Lite.

Bureaucrats in Brussels are particularly concerned about the app’s “Tasks and Rewards Program,” which allows users to collect points for watching videos, following creators, inviting friends, and more.

ByteDance has said that TikTok Lite, including the rewards program, is not available to minors in the first place and that it will continue discussions with the Commission to resolve the dispute.

The company was given until Tuesday to submit the risk assessment report and until May 3 to come up with other information requested by the EC. The bloc has threatened to fine the company up to 1% of its total annual revenue if it doesn’t comply.

This is the EC’s second investigation into TikTok. The first, launched in February, is investigating whether ByteDance violated the DSA in relation to the protection of minors, ad transparency, “data access for researchers” and “managing the risk of addictive design and harmful content”.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden signed into law a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included a proposal to force ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American owner within nine months. The company has said it will challenge the law in court as unconstitutional.

A few days after the United States of America voted to ban TikTok by law because they said it has Chinese ownership, in the last few hours a similar initiative comes from Brussels.

The European Union announced that it will ban the new service launched by TikTok in Europe, TikTok Lite. The EU says the service could be “as addictive as cigarettes” unless the company provides new “convincing” evidence that children are protected.

If the service is eventually banned, it would mark the first time the EU has used sweeping new powers to impose sanctions on social media companies.

The move follows the entry into force in August 2023 of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

The European Commission said it will come up with the next decision on the steps to implement the ban on TikTok Lite.

Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton said video-sharing platform TikTok Lite rewards users for watching videos. He described the service as “toxic”.

Breton told reporters that TikTok Lite “can be as toxic and addictive as cigarettes.” He said that while TikTok’s flagship app offers users “fun and a sense of connection”, it also “comes with significant risk for our children: addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, low attention span”.

The new watch-and-get-reward app offers users prizes such as Amazon vouchers, gift cards via PayPal or TikTok monetization points. Terms include watching videos, liking content, following the publisher, and inviting friends to share.

The application was launched in France and Spain a few days ago.

Earlier in February, the DSA launched an investigation into the company over other child protection concerns.

TikTok was used by millions of minors in Europe.