Snap Inc.’s (NYSE: SNAP) affiliate Snapchat is testing a new user experience similar to that of video-sharing platform TikTok for public content on its platform, TechCrunch reported Monday.
What happened
Users of the social media platform will be able to navigate the “discover” section with a vertical swipe motion. A horizontal sliding movement to the left or to the right will make the user leave the experience.
Snapchat gets a new TikTok-style browsing user experience https://t.co/hZ9MyBOnnv
– Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) July 13, 2020
Snapchat told TechCrunch that the feature is in an early testing stage and is only visible to selected users at this time. “We are always experimenting with new ways to bring engaging and engaging content to our first mobile Snapchat community,” said a company spokesperson.
Because it is important
The move comes at a time when President Donald Trump has threatened to ban TikTok in the country, arguing that the China-based subsidiary of ByteDance compromises the privacy of citizens. Social media companies are struggling to earn TikTok’s large user base.
Alphabet Inc. YouTube, a subsidiary of (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (YouTube) has also seen a short video feature similar to TikTok being tested, TechCrunch reported in late June. Facebook Inc. Instagram affiliate (NASDAQ: FB) also expanded its reel feature earlier this month to India after the country banned TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps.
Price action
Snap shares closed 4.9% lower at $ 24.27 on Monday. The shares traded 1% higher in the after-hours session at $ 24.51.
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