Scores of people from all walks of life are hooked on TikTok as the app transports users to a digital world of short video content.
As one of my favourite apps, I rate it 4 and a half stars out of five. I can spend hours watching everything from fitness inspiration to hilarious videos as well as the latest in lifestyle, travel, sport, news and entertainment.
My nieces and nephews also love TikTok, as do my elderly aunts and uncles and there hasn’t been an app that, in my opinion, is as universally used as TikTok.
Meanwhile, millions of people also make a living from the app as it is one of the best for creatives.
However, in America, the future of the popular social media platform is uncertain as it could be banned.
The US government's concerns over data privacy and security issues linked to TikTok's Beijing-based owner, ByteDance, prompted this action.
Last week, it was reported that the US Supreme Court was likely to clear the way for a federal law that would shut down TikTok in the country unless the popular video-sharing platform divests from Chinese ownership.
The shutdown could happen as early as this weekend. TikTok’s parent company insists that the app shouldn’t be banned in America, arguing that this violates the US Constitution's First Amendment protection against government abridgement of free speech.
If the ban takes effect this weekend, Apple and Google will no longer be able to offer TikTok for downloads for new users. Existing users could still access the app but they will be unable to update it and this will make it unusable over time.
Meanwhile, if TikTok is banned in the US, this could dramatically impact the way the app is used in South Africa and other countries around the world.
This is because millions of users consume content made by American content creators and if the US does ban the use of TikTok, many other nations could follow in their footsteps as they are one of the most powerful nations in the world.
With this in mind, scores of users are scrambling for alternatives.
“Independent Media Lifestyle” went in search of the video-based apps Americans are turning to and rated them accordingly.
RedNote
This app is one of the most downloaded TikTok alternatives currently in the US.
The social media site, which is an English translation of the app’s Chinese name, Xiaohongshu, is hugely popular in China as it combines e-commerce and video content, much like TikTok’s Shop function.
It has a “trending” tab section which resembles TikTok the most and it also features a wide range of photo and text content.
Our rating: RedNote is aesthetically pleasing and from travel guides to cute baby videos and comedy skits, it allows you to filter your viewing preferences.
While Chinese texts are abundant, it is very user-friendly and similar to TikTok, it also features a “For You” and an “Explore” page as well as personalised tabs for topics such as food and fashion. I consider this to be the TikTok alternative and (del: I) rate it 4/5 stars.
Fanbase
This is a relatively unknown app but it is gaining significant traction in the digital sphere as the US ban on TikTok looms.
Fanbase has many user-friendly features, such as a video feed, audio chat rooms and direct messages. There are also pay-to-play features such as buying bundles of “loves” which allows users to leave hearts on creators’ videos.
It also enables creators to effortlessly transfer up to 2000 posts from TikTok to Fanbase.
Fanbase’s short-form video editor is also easy to use as it features creative tools, an expansive music library and advanced search capabilities.
And like YouTube Short and Instagram Reels, Fanbase videos can be up to 30 seconds, so TikTok is still the place to be if you're looking for longer content.
Our rating: I consider Fanbase as a welcome addition to social media’s offerings. I enjoy playing around with it and I think that it will continue to grow in popularity. It gets 3/5 stars.
YouTube Shorts
Like TikTok, YouTube Shorts is also a popular short-form video platform. They both enable users to create and share short videos but there are some key differences between them.
The first is video duration as YouTube Shorts allows creators to upload videos with a maximum length of 60 seconds.
TikTok also allows for a maximum length of 60 seconds but users can create longer videos by stringing multiple clips together, extending the maximum video length to 3 minutes.
The giants of bite-sized content also offer users a wide range of creative tools and editing options, including visual effects, filters, stickers, text overlays and transitions.
Our rating: I find TikTok’s editing features to be more user-friendly and while YouTube Shorts has a built-in green screen feature that allows users to superimpose themselves on top of different backgrounds, I prefer TikTok’s features such as their duets, which allows you to collaborate with other users.
It is also much more fun to be part of a TikTok challenge, which fosters a sense of community and shared experiences. It gets 3/5 stars.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels and TikTok both thrive on short-form and often trend-driven content.
However, there are many differences between them. Instagram Reels allow for short and entertaining videos it has also been scrutinised for being too commercialised as content on Meta’s app is often a way for brands to flex their creative muscles.
In contrast, TikTok videos are mostly for entertainment purposes, although many creators on the site do create sponsored content.
It also only allows for videos up to a minute while TikTok allows for longer videos.
Our rating: Despite this, I prefer shorter videos and I find Reels easy to use. I enjoy many of the features that they offer, such as the interactive effects as well as the ability to use original audio and I regard this to be the best TikTok alternative in South Africa currently. It gets 4/5 stars.
Snapchat
I remember a time when Snapchat was one of my favourite apps. I loved using the different filters, including the playful dog and flower filter which exploded in popularity from around 2015 to 2018. But since then, Instagram and TikTok have dominated the social media landscape for good reason.
Snapchat only enables users to post stories, which can be pictures or videos for 24 hours.
A Snapchat video is also generally 10 seconds long but users can send longer videos up to 60 seconds, although they must be split into clips, each lasting 10 seconds.
Our rating: I wouldn’t spend much time putting together content for Snapchat if it is going to disappear after a day.
The content on the app also feels like it’s geared toward a younger audience and as someone in their 30s, I prefer content for a more mature audience.
Regardless, there is much fun to be had on Snapchat and it still has many favourable features such as using two filters at a time as well as drawing with emojis and creating an emoji filter.
But in my opinion, it does little to rival TikTok. We rate it 2/5 stars.
Other apps being downloaded in US but not available in South Africa:
Lemon8
This is a fusion between TikTok and Pinterest, with separate feeds for different categories but it doesn’t have engagement like TikTok and videos hardly go viral.
Clapper:
This app’s content in a video feed and live stream is reportedly more sexual than you’re used to seeing in TikTok but could it evolve if the numbers grow?