Meta are reportedly offering creators thousands of dollars to join Facebook and Instagram and TikTok's final demise looms.
It sounds like TikTok's loss is Meta's gain. With the future of the short-form video platform hanging in the balance, it seems Donald Trump's vow to #SAVETIKTOK has only delayed its potential shutdown. One of the President of the United States' first acts was to the "Application of Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to Tiktok" order, giving the Chinese-operated ByteDance another 75 days to try and negotiate a deal where the USA gets 'at least’ 50% of its operations.
Trump has warned that China would be foolish not to accept a deal put forward, telling reporters TikTok will be "worthless if I don’t approve it."
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Although TikTok is back for its 170 million US users, it's still banned on the app stores, which has led to a bizarre side effect where people are trying to sell TikTok-loaded iPhones on eBay. Elsewhere, Senator Tom Cotton has said that companies that host or distribute the "communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law."
Meta is poised to make the most of this potential power vacuum and is already offering creators a healthy incentive to abandon the TikTok ship.
Despite TikTok not being directly mentioned by name, the timing seems more than a little convenient as Meta announces its "Breakthrough bonus program." Creators joining from 'other' apps can earn up to $5,000 in bonuses.
The Breakthrough bonus program is available to creators in their first 90 days of signing up, stating that they need to share at least 20 reels on Facebook and 10 reels on Instagram. This comes with the caveat that they need to hit the milestone within 30 days of accepting the terms and conditions, but if you're a regular content creator, it should be relatively easy.
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There are other potential issues with the scheme, and aside from them being original videos not shared elsewhere, the Meta site states you have to be brand-new to monetizing on Facebook
Other perks include a free subscription to the blue checkmark verification system, although it seems like Meta will decide who to accept on a case-by-case basis.
The small print says: "Meta will calculate the bonus based on an evaluation of your social presence. You’ll be paid through the Facebook payout account you set up during your application."
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You must share your content on at least 10 separate days, while reels shared have to be public and can't be promoted or boosted as ads.
This isn't Meta's only attempt to muscle in on TikTok's potential murder in the USA.
Meta just announced its Edits video editing app which is more than a little similar to ByteDance's (also in danger) CapCut. There was also a recent video where two Facebook creators discussed the platform's 'new affiliate link experience for your shoppable content.' If that doesn't sound like Meta's own version of the TikTok Shop, nothing does.
If you still aren't convinced that Meta is ready to cannibalize TikTok at a moment's notice, how about the change to turn Instagram posts from squares into TikTok-inspired rectangles?
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TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was a surprise tech guest at Trump's inauguration, although we don't imagine he'll be too happy with Mark Zuckerberg's Meta overhaul. Then again, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.