Is an Australian app about to replace TikTok?
After years of concern about China’s influence on the Bytedance-owned TikTok, late last week the deal for US companies to take ownership of the US version of TikTok was closed.
The new joint venture US TikTok is led by three managing investors: Silver Lake, Oracle, and (Abu Dhabi-based) MGX. They each hold 15% of the new company. Bytedance retains just under 20% of the new JV. (Read more: WSJ)
But in an interesting pivot, US users are flocking to find alternative platforms and a leading contender seems to be Australian app UpScrolled.
As I type this at 9am on Tuesday Jan 27, it is the 2nd most popular social networking app (just behind Threads) in the US Apple App store. In Australia it is right now sitting at number four.
UpScrolled was founded just under 18 months ago by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian.
Why is everyone making the move? Yes, there are users who are unhappy with the politics of TikTok now sitting under a bunch of Trump-approved companies. But, I wouldn’t get too excited in thinking that will get people moving en masse (we’ve all seen how many people stuck around Twitter which is populated by actual Nazis).
And yes, there are concerns already about censorship on what is now branded as TikTok USDS. Hacks actor Meg Stalter has reported that a video where she posted that “Jesus would abolish ICE” was censored on the new TikTok. And while that sort of thing can move the needle a bit, I’m not convinced that’s leading the exodus.
It’s all of the above, but mostly massive app instability in the wake of the new ownership. A power outage at a US data center impacted the app, causing errors like an inability to upload videos. The Verge reports an uploaded video was still waiting to go live after 12 hours. Also, videos published internationally haven’t been visible on TikTok USDS accounts.
So, users are looking around at alternatives. Will they slowly migrate back to TikTok USDS once the errors settle down? It’s too early to say. But right now UpScrolled usage us surging up the charts.
You can find me on Upscrolled at @danbarrett
News Desk
New Amazon MGM Studios global television chief Peter Friedlander has restructured the TV division around genre-based teams. Read: THR
Hitchcock film The Lodger has been re-framed for release on vertical microdrama app Tattle TV. Read: JoBlo
US Warner Bros Discovery-owned cable channel TCM will be the new television home of Looney Tunes cartoons, with a six-year deal signed. This isn’t to be confused with a ‘streaming home.’ Read: THR
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette will debut on Hulu Feb 12. Read: thefutoncritic
RIP Geoffrey Mason. He was a sports TV producer who played a pivotal role in the control room when the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage drama unfolded. You may have seen the very good film September 5 which had Mason portrayed by John Magaro. Read: THR
One Battle After Another’s Chase Infiniti stars in The Handmaid’s Tale spin-off The Testaments, which as of today we now know will debut on Hulu April 8. Read: thefutoncritic
Richard Gere will star opposite Ben Stiller and Jessica Chastain in the Apple TV limited series The Off Weeks. Read: Variety
If you’ve seen that picture of a new-look Guy Fieri, know that it’s for his upcoming Super Bown Bosch ad. Yes, ‘tis the season for offbeat celebrity stunts. Read: THR
Trailer Park
Salvador debuts on Netflix Feb 6.
On a night of violent clashes, an ambulance driver learns his daughter is involved with hooligans. When things spiral, he'll stop at nothing for answers.
Crap Happens (oooh, edgy title) debuts on Netflix Feb 26.
Rapper Toni returns to his hometown for his mother's funeral and suddenly finds himself juggling career dreams and surprise fatherhood to a teenage son.
Sins of Kujo debuts on Netflix April 2.
Does operating in "gray areas" make him a just lawyer or a wicked one? A crime drama that pushes the concepts of law and morality to the extreme.
That’s the newsletter for the today.
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