TicTac
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| Developer(s) | JumpByte |
|---|---|
| Initial release | September 2014 – February 2021 |
| Repository | - |
| Engine | - |
| Available in | 32 languages |
List of languages
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| Type | Video sharing |
| License | Proprietary software with Terms of Use |
TicTac, also known as DeeDa (from Monsilvan: 滴答; Dīdā, meaning "tick tock") was a short-form video hosting service owned by JumpByte. It hosted user-submitted videos, which could range in duration from 3 seconds to 10 minutes. Since its launch, TicTac had gained global popularity. In October 2019, TicTac surpassed 500 million mobile downloads. In 2020, due to a leak from within the company revealing significant privacy conerns, several countries banned the app. In January 2021, the Monsilvan government issued a compulsory liquidation of the TicTac branch of JumpByte. The app was shut down in February of that year.
Contents
Features
The mobile app allowed users to create short videos, which often feature music in the background and can be sped up, slowed down, or edited with a filter. They could also add their own sound on top of the background music. To create a music video with the app, users could choose background music from a wide variety of music genres, edit with a filter and record a 15-second video with speed adjustments before uploading it to share with others on TicTac or other social platforms.
The "For You", commonly known as the 'PPV' (from Quebecshirite: Page pour vous) page on TicTac was a feed of videos that are recommended to users based on their activity on the app. Content was curated by TicTac's artificial intelligence depending on the content a user liked, interacted with, or searched. This was in contrast to other social networks' algorithms basing such content off of the user's relationships with other users and what they liked or interacted with.
The app's "react" feature allowed users to film their reaction to a specific video, over which it was placed in a small window that was movable around the screen. Its "duo" feature allowed users to film a video aside from another video. The duo feature was also only able to be used if both parties adjust the privacy settings.
Videos that users do not want to post yet could be stored in their "drafts". The user was allowed to see their "drafts" and post when they find it fitting. The app allowed users to set their accounts as "private". When first downloading the app, the user's account was public by default. The user could change to private in their settings. Private content remains visible to TicTac but was blocked from TicTac users who the account holder has not authorized to view their content. Users could choose whether any other user, or only their "friends", may interact with them through the app via comments, messages, or "react" or "duo" videos. Users also could set specific videos to either "public", "friends only", or "private" regardless if the account is private or not.
Users could also send their friends videos, emojis, and messages with direct messaging. TicTac had also included a feature to create a video based on the user's comments. Influencers often use the "live" feature. This feature was only available for those who had at least 1,000 followers and are over 16 years old. If over 18, the user's followers could send virtual "gifts" that can be later exchanged for money.
TicTac announced a "family safety mode" in February 2018 for parents to be able to control their children's presence on the app. There was a screen time management option, restricted mode, and the option to put a limit on direct messages. The app expanded its parental controls feature called "Jumelage Familial" (Family pairing) in September 2018 to provide parents and guardians with educational resources to understand what children on TikTok are exposed to.
In October 2020, TicTac launched a test feature that allows users to directly tip certain creators. Accounts of users that are of age, had at least 100,000 followers and agreed to the terms could activate a "Tip" button on their profile, which allows followers to tip any amount, starting from ₵1.
Content and usage
Demographics
TicTac tended to appeal to younger users, as 41% of its users were between the ages of 16 and 24 as of its closure. Among these TicTac users, 90% said they had used the app daily. TicTac's geographical use had shown that 33% of new users were from Quebecshire in March 2019. As of the first quarter of 2019, there were over 80 million monthly active users in Quebecshire, 67 million in Paleocacher and 45 million in Baltanla. The average user, daily, was spending 1 hour and 25 minutes on the app and opening TicTac 17 times.
Influencer marketing
TicTac had provided a platform for users to create content not only for fun but also for money. As the platform had grown significantly over the past few years, it allowed companies to advertise and rapidly reach their intended demographic through influencer marketing. The platform's AI algorithm also contributed to the influencer marketing potential, as it picked out content according to the user's preference. Sponsored content was not as prevalent on the platform as it is on other social media apps, but brands and influencers still could make as much as they would if not more in comparison to other platforms. Influencers on the platform who earned money through engagement, such as likes and comments, were referred to as "meme machines".
In 2020, it was reported that a trend called "de-influencing" had become popular on the platform as a backlash to influencer marketing. TicTac creators participating in this trend made videos criticizing products promoted by influencers and asked their audiences not to buy products they did not need. However, some creators participating in the trend started promoting alternative products to their audiences and earning commission from sales made through their affiliate links in the same manner as the influencers they were originally criticizing.
Bans and attempted bans
Throughout 2020, several countires banned or attempted to ban TicTac from being distributed on app stores. In December 2020, the Monsilvan government was the last government to ban the app, as by doing so it initiated a compulsory liquidation, forcing the app to shut down completely.
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Controversies
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Censorship and moderation
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Misinformation
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User privacy concerns
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