Instagram and TikTok are taking opposing approaches to video content length, setting the stage for a new battleground in social media engagement, Forbes reports.

Instagram, headed by Adam Mosseri, is doubling down on short-form video content. In a recent statement, Mosseri declared that the platform will not pursue long-form video content. He emphasized that Instagram’s core focus remains on two primary functions: connecting users with friends and helping them explore interests through short-form videos.

“You see an amazing video that makes you laugh out loud from a comedian doing a bit, and you send it to someone you know is going to laugh just as loud as you did,” explains Mosseri. This interaction, he argues, is central to Instagram’s identity.

The platform’s chief contends that long-form video could undermine this core function. “If you watch a 10- or 20-minute video, you see less content from friends, you interact with your friends less, and you’re less likely to send that content or that video to a friend,” Mosseri states.

In contrast, TikTok is making significant moves towards longer-form content. The platform is now testing the ability for users to upload 60-minute videos. This feature is available to a limited group of users in select markets, as confirmed by TikTok to TechCrunch in May 2024.

TikTok reports that this move is in response to creator requests for more time to produce content such as cooking demos, beauty tutorials, educational lesson plans, and comedic sketches. This shift appears to be a direct challenge to YouTube’s dominance in the long-form video space.

According to Forbes, the expanded time limit could allow for full episodes of TV shows to be posted on TikTok, potentially opening new avenues for traditional media on the platform. However, TikTok emphasizes that no immediate plans exist to make this feature widely available.