TikTok introduced new features to enhance user interaction, including group chats and custom stickers for direct messages. 

With these updates, the social media company aims to improve content sharing and communication among its users.

“We’re always looking for new ways to enrich the TikTok experience and bring that mantra to life for our global community,” the company stated in a news release. “We will continue introducing features that help you discover shared entertainment through authentic connections.”

About the New Features

The group chat function allows up to 32 people to participate in a shared conversation. Users can now watch, comment on, and react to videos together in real-time within these group chats. 

This feature creates a more connected viewing experience for the platform’s friends, family, and communities.

TikTok limits the number of groups a user can create and the number of times a message can be forwarded, though specific figures are not provided. 

With the new group chat feature, TikTok implements safety measures for younger users. The function is not available for users aged 13 to 15.

The platform also unveiled custom stickers as a visual communication tool in direct messages. Users can create and upload their stickers, which are available for the entire TikTok community. 

This feature aims to encourage creative expression and provide more engaging options for visual chat.

Keeping up with Competitors

The updates build on TikTok’s existing direct messaging system, which the company reports is popular among users for sharing content, discovering new videos, and following trends.

Furthermore, the tools complement TikTok’s text-only posts feature, which allows users to create text posts using only words, similar to X.

The company also released “Notes” earlier this year, a dedicated space for still images and written content that challenges Instagram’s dominance in the field.

Safety Measures

TikTok restricts communication with strangers for users aged 16-17 by only allowing friends (mutual followers) to add them to group chats. 

Teens joining a group via link must have at least one mutual friend in the group and are required to choose to join actively.

Additional safety features include default settings that require teen creators of group conversations to review and approve new members. TikTok also provides muting, blocking, and reporting tools for all users to manage their messaging experience.

TikTok’s tightening of safety measures follows the latest controversy involving a U.S. government lawsuit accusing the social media giant of unlawfully collecting children’s data and impeding parental control over accounts.

The platform’s parent company, Chinese-based ByteDance, faces a nationwide ban in the U.S. unless it divests its TikTok operations in the country.