Direct messaging in the TikTok app just got even better with the introduction of TikTok Group Chat. Groups with up to 32 people can now group chat and easily share their favorite videos.
So what’s the point? Well, TikTok Group Chat allows you to create a shared viewing experience with friends, family, and communities. Watch, comment, and react together in real time, making every interaction more dynamic and connected.
TikTok isn’t going to replace your favourite messaging app quite yet, it’s unlikely that you’ll be dumping Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger straight away. But it’s a step in the right direction for TikTok to start keeping the conversation on their app rather than someone else’s app.
What will be interesting is if some businesses think that groups of up to 32 will be sufficiently large to start engaging with their audiences. Certainly it would be interesting for those running TikTok Live broadcasts to offer something special for their most engaged buyers.
To help everyone feel comfortable with who they are messaging, people will be able to use muting and blocking tools and also report messages or the entire chat if they are concerned content violates the TIkTok Community Guidelines. TikTok will also limit the number of groups someone can create and the number of times a message can be forwarded.
And if TikTok Group Chat wasn’t enough, they have also introduced Stickers in Direct Message. Stickers, they say, provide fun and creative visual chat options that encourage the community to create and upload their own custom stickers for everyone to use.
Worth noting that full features of this are for for over 18s only, Group Chat, like Direct Messaging, is not available for those ages 13 to 15. To help older teens 16-17 enjoy the benefits of this feature, TikTok are taking important steps to block communication with strangers. Rules for teens are:
- Everyone, including teens, can only be added to a Group Chat by their friends (people they follow who also follow them).
- If a teen is sent a link to join a group conversation, they will not be able to join unless the group includes at least one mutual friend. If they are eligible to join, they will be required to make a proactive decision to join.
- When a teen creates a group conversation, by default TikTok will require them to review and approve new joiners.
