Bluesky, X and Meta Capitalise on TikTok Uncertainty
With TikTok’s uncertain future causing a potential power vacuum in the social media app space, it’s no surprise that many platforms are scrambling to fill the void with their own offerings. Notably, Meta and X have both tried to enter that space directly, with Bluesky even cutting ahead of its own video app to get into the video content scene sooner.
Bluesky and X Introducs Video Feeds
Bluesky has entered the short-form video space earlier than expected, launching a custom feed for vertical videos as TikTok’s future in the U.S. faces ongoing uncertainty. The new feature, announced on January 19, allows users to access a trending video section in the Explore tab of Bluesky’s mobile app, with familiar swipe-to-scroll functionality for navigating content.
While it was already known that Bluesky would be widening its ecosystem to include a new photo and video app named Flashes, Bluesky itself always approached videos in the same way as platforms like X, making them part of the regular feed. Now, users can customize their experience by pinning the video feed to their home screens or adding it to their list of feeds, allowing them to essentially make the app’s main page function closer to that of TikTok.
On a related note, X has prepared to introduced a similar vertical video feed for U.S. users, deliberately targeting the one place that would be directly impacted if TikTok was to be finally banned. This incldues the same kind of swiping-between-videos functionality that made TikTok such a popular video app in the first place.
The timing of this launch is notable, as both platforms are not only direct competitors with each other, but also not inherently video-focused. These shifts towards trying to capitalise on this market are important, since it could provide Bluesky with another popularity boost if the feeds (and future app, Flashes) manage to overshadow X’s own efforts.
Meta Announces Video Editing App
Meanwhile, Meta has announced Edits, a video editing platform directly designed to compete with CapCut. Given that CapCut is owned by Bytedance – the same company that owns TikTok, who will have all of their platforms banned if the ban eventeually goes through, this is a pre-emptive attempt to fill the same space.
While hosting and posting videos is obviously a big part of the appeal for TikTok, CapCut has been a central tool for making that video content both casually and professionally, and Meta’s new app is likely aiming to be a direct replacement that will nudge former TikTok users into their ecoystem.
