Facebook readies global launch of its TikTok competitor
Amidst the havoc of the potential shutdown of TikTok, Facebook is taking advantage of the opportunity and has announced the launch of Instagram Reels in the US and more than 50 other countries in a matter of weeks.
Like TikTok, Instagram Reels lets users make and share 15-second video clips set to a vast catalog of music. Like TikTok, users can also borrow and remix audio from other people's videos. And, like TikTok, users can see their clips go viral in a "Featured Reels" section of the most popular videos.
TikTok Enlists Army of Lobbyists as Suspicions Over China Ties Grow
The social media company, which one year ago had virtually no lobbying presence in the nation’s capital, has hired a small army of more than 35 lobbyists to work on its behalf, including one with deep ties to President Trump.
In the past three months, lobbyists working on behalf of TikTok have held at least 50 meetings with congressional staff and lawmakers, including those on top committees like commerce, judiciary and intelligence.