People familiar with the discussions told that TikTok could launch a group messaging feature this year, putting the Chinese-owned app in direct competition with social media rivals like Facebook.
According to one of the sources, community messaging is part of owner ByteDance’s strategy to turn TikTok into a “social interactions app.” Since 2019, the feature has been available in the Chinese edition of TikTok, Douyin.
Since they were not allowed to talk to the media, the sources refused to be identified.
TikTok will benefit from a community chat feature to hold users on the app for longer. TikTok, which is especially popular among teenagers and young adults, has been expanding its livestreaming and e-commerce offerings, and group chats will allow influencers to communicate with their fans more easily.
