TikTok is giving users new ways to interact with others via direct messages (DMs), the company told TechCrunch on Friday. Users will now be able to send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos in one-to-one and group chats on the platform.
With these new features, TikTok is positioning itself as more than just an entertainment platform, aiming to become a place where users interact regularly beyond simply sending each other TikTok videos. Additionally, the new capabilities bring TikTok’s messaging experience more in line with that of other popular social apps and services.
With voice notes, users can record and send audio messages up to 60 seconds long. The launch of the feature comes as services like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Apple’s Messages already offer the ability to send voice notes to others via DMs.
It makes sense for TikTok to add voice notes to its DMs, especially as a growing number of people, particularly Gen Z, are embracing the format for communication.
The feature is rolling out over the next few weeks, TikTok says.
As for sharing photos and videos, users can either take a photo or video with their camera or select one from their camera roll to share it with others. They can also choose to edit the content before sending it.
For user safety, people can’t send an image or video as their initial message request. For example, if someone messages you for the first time, they can’t send a photo or video they have taken themselves; they can only share content already on TikTok.
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Additionally, when someone chooses to send a photo or video, TikTok will remind them to protect their privacy and be mindful of who they’re sending that content to.
While DMs on TikTok are unavailable to users under the age of 16, the company is adding protections for users between the ages of 16 and 18. For instance, TikTok has automated systems in place to detect and block images containing nudity. This means that the sender will be blocked from sending the nude image, and the receiver won’t see the image at all.
Users above the age of 18 can choose to toggle this safety feature on in their app settings.
TikTok sees the new features as a way for users to express themselves and connect with others in ways that they’re already accustomed to.
The move comes as TikTok has been working to build out its messaging product. Last year, the platform launched group chats, giving users the ability to chat with up to 32 people at once. TikTok also recently rolled out Creator Chat Rooms, a dedicated space for creators and their followers to connect and interact with each other.
