Instagram considers launching reels as a separate app amid TikTok's uncertain future in the U.S.
Instagram is reportedly considering the possibility of launching its short-video feature, Reels, as a separate app, given the uncertain future of the Chinese-owned TikTok in the United States.
According to the technology-focused publication The Information, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri informed employees about this potential move this week, citing a source who was present at the meeting.
Instagram’s parent company, Meta, did not immediately respond to BBC's request for comment.
In January, then-US President Donald Trump granted TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with a law signed by President Joe Biden, which requires the platform to be sold or banned. A
t the time, Trump floated the idea of a joint venture to run the company, seeking a 50-50 partnership between the United States and its Chinese owner, ByteDance, but did not provide further details on how this might work.
The Biden administration argued that TikTok, with its 170 million US users, could be used by China as a tool for espionage and political manipulation.
Opponents of a ban have cited freedom of speech as a reason for keeping the platform open.
In 2018, Meta launched a standalone app called Lasso to compete with TikTok, but it was later discontinued.
