TikTok aims to intensify its competition with messaging powerhouses such as WhatsApp and Apple's Messages by introducing group chats on its platform. This new feature, as announced by the company on August 12, enables users to form group chats with a maximum of 32 participants, facilitating communication and content sharing directly within TikTok.
TikTok users typically share videos with friends using external messaging apps, but now the app allows them to watch, comment, and react together without having to leave the app. By offering this feature, TikTok demonstrates its ambition to be more just an entertainment hub and positions itself as a social network where users can interact with their friends.
Group chats on TikTok, similar to individual messages, are accessible exclusively to users aged 15 and above. Furthermore, TikTok has introduced safety measures to protect older teenagers aged 16 and 17. For instance, individuals can solely be included in group chats by mutual followers, and teenagers are unable to enter a group without having at least one mutual friend in it. Moreover, when a teenager creates a group chat, TikTok mandates them to review and authorize new members.
Users can start a group conversation by clicking on the ‘Chat’ button located at the top of their inbox, then selecting ‘More options’, choosing the friends they wish to add, and finally clicking on ‘Start group chat’. To participate in an ongoing group chat through an invitation, users can directly tap on the invite and select ‘Join group’.
TikTok is implementing measures to ensure the users’ safety and comfort on the platform. These measures include the ability to mute, block, and report others as well as report messages or chats that violate the platform's Community Guidelines. Additionally, TikTok imposes restrictions on the number of groups a user can create and the frequency with which messages can be forwarded. These features are designed to foster a safe and more positive user experience on the platform.
In addition to group chats, TikTok is rolling out custom stickers in DMs, encouraging users to create and share their own stickers for a more personalized chat experience.