ITV

Tag: TikTok

  • TikTok clarifies: Don’t intend to take legal course against ban

    TikTok clarifies: Don’t intend to take legal course against ban

    KOLKATA: The government of India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act recently imposed a ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok. Several reports said that the video-sharing platform could take a legal route. However, the company has refuted such reports saying that it has no plans to pursue such action. 

    "There have been statements in the press concerning the possibility that TikTok might pursue legal action regarding the directive by the government of India. We have no plans to pursue such action. We are committed to working with the government to address its concerns. We comply with the laws and regulations of the government of India. Ensuring the data sovereignty, security and privacy of our users has always been and will continue to be a top priority for us," said a TikTok spokesperson.

    The ministry of information technology said that the apps are engaged in activities “which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order." The ministry mentioned that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India.

    Earlier TikTok India head Nikhil Gandhi said that it is in the process of complying with it. He also mentioned that it had been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications.

  • TikTok ban: Indian UGC apps ready to take on traffic; see advertiser interest too

    TikTok ban: Indian UGC apps ready to take on traffic; see advertiser interest too

    KOLKATA: TikTok had become a rage among millions of Indian youth until the Indian government’s interim ban crushed its multi-billion dollar strategy. Creators, influencers and marketers will have to seek an alternative platform as the future of TikTok remains uncertain in the country. But the flip side of the story is a silver-lining for Indian platforms and video sharing apps which are now poised to grow fast. UGC platforms like Roposo and Bolo Indya have started seeing a massive user base shift to their platforms.

    These homegrown apps had already been growing since the last few weeks when the call to use local brands started. With the recent decision of the government, they are set to see never-expected traffic, at least the instant reaction seems so. Bolo Indya co-founder Varun Saxena says it saw over one lakh new creators joining the platform in less than 24 hours and around five lakh new videos had already been created. Roposo co-founder Mayank Bhangadia says a number of TikTok influencers have already announced their shift to the Indian short video app. He adds that it will direct followers to the platform as well.

    “It is a big boost for most of the short video platforms because these creators will look for a new platform. It’s a big opportunity for Indian applications from the perspective of getting new creators and high volume also,” Saxena adds.

    However, he also mentions that most of the TikTok influencers are now exploring where they can get a good follower which includes Instagram and YouTube too. He adds that for a few days they will be creating content on all the platforms and will stick to one once they get a loyal audience. Saxena says Bolo Indya is favourable to creators compared to others as its format, interface, time length is very similar to TikTok. 

    According to Bhangadia, this change is extremely good for an Indian entrepreneur and will give them a very good boost. He says that they have got calls from close to 20 brands inquiring about how to advertise on Roposo the morning after the ban. They are hopeful that the shift will be happening in the next few days.

    “Roposo is best positioned because we have been working for the last few years and we have built a product which is not available anywhere in India. The kind of camera feature we have along with other features is not available on all apps. The holistic nature of the platform is able to accommodate many communities. We don’t focus only on lip sync or short act. We have all kind of talented people. Hence, creators are shifting to us,” he adds.

    Saxena says that they were already doing content marketing working with certain brands. And the major reason brands were working with the platform despite the fact that it had less volume compared to TikTok was the higher spending power of users on the app compared to TikTok and Helo. While new creators will give it a better volume also, Saxena is optimistic that they would definitely see more and more brands coming to Indian applications for content marketing.

    “In a short to medium term, advertisers and agencies will look at alternate platforms to help them meet their marketing goals. Some of the banned platforms are sizeable, so it would be difficult to find an immediate apparent replacement. In this case, a combination of replacements or an increase in presence in existing platforms can be an option. Also, the ban is still a little unclear from an implementation standpoint. The downloaded apps are still running, though new downloads are at a halt. If the government calls for a complete ban, things will go south for these platforms. Even then, I don’t believe brands will advertise on these apps, fearing public outrage,” TheSmallBigIdea CEO and co-founder Harikrishnan Pillai says.

    “For influencers, from a short-term POV, the business will be affected if they have had a single platform focus. From a long-term perspective, Indian apps have a great opportunity to grow. ‘Revenge Download’ will lead to a sudden spike of Indian apps. Whether they manage to be sticky and effective, time will tell,” Pillai adds.

    While the sudden spike in traffic will be a pressure on the apps, they are ready to take on new users. Saxena says they had started updating their infrastructure a couple of weeks back because it was expecting something like this to take place. They have been pro-actively ready to take the kind of surge it saw since Monday night. As he shares, there was hardly 1.5 minutes of downtime because it was upgrading infrastructure.

    Bhangadia is also confident about Roposo’s engineering team. He also says that the team has been preparing because the app had seen surge coming in the last four months since the lockdown started. It got accelerated in the last few weeks when people started shifting to Indian products. He also mentions that they are part of a much larger InMobi group. 

    "This is a welcome move from the government against platforms that have had serious privacy, cybersecurity and national security risks. We expect the government to continue their support for the Indian startup ecosystem,” ShareChat public policy director Berges Malu comments. 

  • Govt bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok

    Govt bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok

    KOLKATA: As the tension between India and China escalates, the Indian government has banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, UC Browser, Shareit, Shein, WeChat, Xender.  The ministry of information technology has invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act and has said that the apps are engaged in activities “which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”

    The ministry has mentioned that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India. The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.

    The indian cyber crime coordination centre, ministry of home affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps. This ministry has also received many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding security of data and risk to privacy relating to operation of certain apps. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues.

    “Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India. There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens,” it stated.

    The government has decided to disallow the usage of those apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices.

     

  • TV actors expand footprint via digital platforms

    TV actors expand footprint via digital platforms

    MUMBAI: Even before the lockdown, Bollywood actors had started to make themselves prominent on social media.

    During this pandemic, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok gave TV stars ample opportunity to connect with fans in a relatively safe environment. While production was halted, actors leveraged digital mediums to expand their footprints as well as their earning potential. They are able to provide companies, advertisers and sponsors, a solid set of analytics and data attached to a specific audience. 

    Television actors Vatsal Sheth and Ishita Dutta have been posting fun videos on TikTok recently. Dutta says that technology has felicitated work from home format to a certain extent. Says she: “We have made a music video and a short film at home. Thanks to technology we could still work from home. Because of social media platforms specially Instagram and TikTok, our fans can connect to us directly. During this lockdown, I utilised my time to create content.”

    Initially the couple started creating short films for their own platform. But slowly their content gained traction after which Times Music approached them to make a music video. This lockdown period is also giving different revenue options for the couple. When actors are unable to shoot, social media helps in terms of networking and brand endorsements.

    While Dutta is busy creating content for Instagram and TikTok, she is not planning to make videos for YouTube anytime soon. According to her, Instagram is very convenient for people who are not tech-savvy or who are interested in creating short-form content. Most importantly, technology has set artists free.

    She further adds, “Digital medium is here to stay. All the leading TV channels have their own apps now. People are preferring OTT platforms and social media platforms to watch content.”

    They are planning to continue making content even after shooting resumes. As a result, the couple has already invested in tripods, lights and other necessary equipment.

    TV actor Niti Taylor is busy creating content for her recently-started YouTube channel. It mainly features home remedies and easy home exercise. She thinks that on YouTube collaborations and cross promotion helps to garner more audiences.

    The actor believes that digital would be the most preferred medium now because even after the lockdown is lifted, things would be stricter in terms of crowd gathering.

    She adds that technology has made her life much more easier and hassle free. However, technology has its own pros and cons. For a beginner who is just setting up, it could be really frustrating at times to understand things. Taylor also thinks that at times, technology makes a person more dependent.

    According to Taylor, a digital medium acts as a platform to address important issues. But, actors, at times, pay the price for being vocal; they are constantly under the radar. She adds, “Sometimes I feel social media is overrated, we are being judged for whatever we say.”

    Kasautii Zindagii Kay actor Erica Fernandes thinks technology has facilitated work from home option. It has become easier to upload content by sitting in the comfort of your home. Fernandes, who has 1.26 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, feels that today everybody has all the devices and equipment ready to create content. One does not need a proper setup to begin a channel, content can be created just by using a mobile phone.

    For Fernandes, YouTube is the most favourite platform and she is not planning to expand to other platforms like Instagram or TikTok. According to her, YouTube has a huge audience base and consumption rate is also high. It is highly profitable in terms of revenue. She adds that YouTube has more reach as compared to Instagram’s IGTV feature.

    She notes, “YouTube is a knowledge-based platform. If someone wants to know about a particular topic they will go to YouTube and not Instagram.” Investors will be more interested in digital entities now as the sector is booming. Unlike television, digital platforms don’t have a set deadline to meet.

    Fernandes concludes the conversation by highlighting that digital will remain the most preferred medium because it is easily accessible and convenient. Actors who are not able to explore their creativity on television, can express themselves through digital mediums. It also helps in generating revenue, getting brand deals and advertisement.

  • Will boycott of Chinese apps unleash new possibilities for local ones?

    Will boycott of Chinese apps unleash new possibilities for local ones?

    NEW DELHI: Chinese apps such as TikTok, Helo, Zoom, Bigo, Shareit, etc., are widely used in India, some even enjoying a monopoly. But the ongoing standoff between India and China is hitting at the sentiments of Indian users.

    Recently, Indian social reformer, Sonam Wangchuk, posted a video message on YouTube urging people to invest in ‘Made in India’ products and boycott Chinese products and mobile applications. It became a hit on
    Twitter too, and in a short span, #boycottchineseapps #boycottchineseproducts started trending on social media.

    The episode has resulted in a surge in downloads of homegrown apps like Roposo, Bolo Indya, Say Namaste, Mitro, and many others.

    Fulcro founder and MD Sabyasachi Mitter believes, “The anti-China sentiment is very high at this point and many consumers are uninstalling Chinese apps like TikTok. However, this is more likely a temporary phenomenon and most users will again use these apps once the political tensions ease. Apps are valuable for both its functionality as well as community. Local apps need not just build great user experience but also focus on community growth. We must
    remember that Telegram is a great messenger platform but has no user traction in India.”

    In the last two years, Chinese apps have been dominating the Indian app market and they have risen from 18 to around 45 in the top apps category on Google play store.

    Roposo has over 50 million users while Mitro is giving a tough competition to Tik Tok with over five million downloads. The recent growth in local apps has not only been about the number of downloads but also time spent. 

    Will advertisers be keen to invest in these apps despite their lower popularity?

    Sabyasachi replies, “A large part of display advertising today is through SSPs and DSPS and as the apps get eyeballs their inventory will be targetable through programmatic. Brands are more focused on buying audiences and not choosing specific apps or portals to advertise on.”

    Independent communications and marketing consultant Karthik Srinivasan, points out that advertisers usually look at the largest presence of their target audiences. “If the new made-in-India apps can convince advertisers that they do have a large pool of relevant target audiences, that could work. But these platforms are very new and are only growing the user base now. Compared to them, the established platforms have many more users that have been gained over the years. So, advertisers would naturally prefer a larger user base for their marketing.”

    iProspect India AVP – digital buying and planning Mihir Mehta says, “Advertisers will always look for the next best app or platform to advertise. So, if some of these apps are boycotted, the next best app in terms of reach will excite them whether it is Indian or not.”

    Makani Creatives MD and co-founder Sameer Makani opines that it is time to go for local and prefer local over foreign. “Advertisers can find alternatives to advertise on these apps as they can be cheaper in the market compared to existing social media giants. The Vocal for Local initiative is giving an opportunity for Indian apps and businesses to market-creating better possibilities,” he says.

    However, the apps need to work on some areas if the want to retain eyeballs.

    Mehta says, “Focus on awareness and discoverability of their app is important. Also, the attention span of users these days is very low. So, local apps should use this opportunity to better the product to be able to retain their customers.”

  • ByteDance to shut down Vigo apps in October

    ByteDance to shut down Vigo apps in October

    MUMBAI: Chinese colossal ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok has announced that it will shut down two of its apps in India Vigo Video, Vigo Lite. By 31 October, the apps will shut down in India while those have already shut operations in Brazil and Middle East.

    "Users will be informed about the app shutting via in-app notifications with detailed instruction on downloading their personal data or deleting their account permanently, including videos, personal information, chat history, and favorite list," the app said while mentioning that users can export their account to TikTok.

    While the company has not stated any reason behind the shutdown, it is being speculated that the company wants to focus on TikTok in the country which has a humongous base compared to Vigo. 

  • Kevin Mayer leaves Disney to become TikTok CEO

    Kevin Mayer leaves Disney to become TikTok CEO

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney Company’s top executive Kevin Mayer has resigned to take up the top executive job at short-video app TikTok, which has seen its popularity soaring during the Covid2019 pandemic.

    According to a New York Times report, the 58-year-old will also serve as chief operating officer of ByteDance, the Chinese parent company that owns TikTok.

    “I was happy with my job at Disney, The magnitude of this opportunity was just something I couldn’t pass up,” Mayer told New York Times over phone

    Mayer has worked on services like Disney Plus, which has been a phenomenal hit with around 55 million subscribers, and the prominent OTT in India Hotstar.

    According to him, gaming and music are two possibilities for expansion.

    After having overseen the direct-to-consumer and global division for the two years, he had served as Disney’s chief strategy officer. Mayer joined Disney way back in 1993. He left the company in 2000 and joined Playboy.com. Later he returned to Disney and started working on Go.com, which later bit the dust.

    Rebecca Campbell has been named as Mayer’s successor.

    That soaring popularity of the TikTok, an immense feat for a Chinese company, has not gone down well with many government agencies in the US. In fact, the military has prevented its workers from downloading or using TikTok. Recently, a Republican senator even proposed a law to bar federal employees from using it.

    In the first quarter of 20202, TikTok’s has been downloaded 307 million times, more than any other app in the world, as per Sensor Tower data.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Endemol Shine Group partners with Plex for extensive catalogue deal

    Endemol Shine Group partners with Plex for extensive catalogue deal

    MUMBAI: Global content creator, producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group today announced a multi-territory content partnership with Plex, the global streaming media company that brings your favourite content together in the highest-rated OTT video app.

    The agreement includes a raft of programming from Endemol Shine Group’s extensive library, which will be available for Plex users across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

    Popular titles, spanning a broad range of genres, include Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Bananas in Pyjamas, City Homicide, Deal or No Deal, MasterChef, McLeod’s Daughters, Mr Bean and Peaky Blinders*.

    Kasia Jablonska, head of digital distribution and monetisation, Endemol Shine Group, said: “We are very pleased to launch another partnership, which demonstrates the enormous popularity of Endemol Shine’s catalogue. Plex is a unique platform, combining more types of content in one solution than any other streaming service in the industry, including a media storage solution and an original media player experience with a vast media library. We are looking forward to working and growing our business together.”

    “Plex has always served a global audience and growing our library of content available around the world has been a top priority,” said Shawn Eldridge, vice president, strategic alliances and content, at Plex. “The quality of the Endemol Shine library is sure to appeal to a wide range of audiences and these titles are welcome additions to the Plex platform.”

    Offering all types of content together in one app, Plex is the world’s most comprehensive streaming platform. Through Plex, consumers have access to free, on-demand movies and TV shows, podcasts, web shows, news, music, over-the-air live and recorded television, as well as personal media collections. By offering access to this diverse range of content mediums, Plex provides cross-content discovery options, helping identify movies, TV, news, podcasts, and web shows consumers might enjoy based on what they’ve already watched or listened to. This advanced technology reduces decision fatigue about what to watch, making the entertainment experience actually entertaining instead of overwhelming.

    Endemol Shine Group showcase their catalogue of content beyond linear through licensing and self-publishing content and curated channels across a variety of digital platforms. From YouTube to Facebook, TikTok, Amazon, Roku, Samsung TV Plus and Tubi to name a few, Endemol Shine Group maximises opportunities across their deep content library which contains 68,000 hours of programming.

  • Applause Entertainment marketing head Ashok Cherian to join TikTok India

    Applause Entertainment marketing head Ashok Cherian to join TikTok India

    MUMBAI: Applause Entertainment marketing and revenue head Ashok A Cherian has moved on to join TikTok India as marketing head. Cherian joined Applause Entertainment back in 2018.

    He has over 20 years of rich and varied experience across print, television, consulting and retail. Prior to Applause, Cherian was the CMO at SMAAASH Entertainment for four years, where he was part of the core team that helped expand the company and its revenues, by rapidly multiplying to 27 units across India and one at the Mall Of America, the largest mall in the USA. He also helped grow the brand swiftly via effective digital marketing and leveraging of brand ambassadors Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

    Cherian's repertoire of work comprises: a seven-year stint at MTV India, which also included three seasons of marketing, monetizing and “picking” Roadies as a judge/casting-director on the hit show MTV Roadies, followed by the launches of UTV Broadcasting’s Bindass channels (now Disney); award-winning integrated marketing of the first Coke Studio India while at Naked Communications, as well as an insightful domain widening entrepreneurial consulting venture, where he provided strategic and digital solutions for clients ranging from real estate to music bands. 

    After completing engineering from Mumbai University in 1999, he responded to his creativity’s call and started off as a writer with campus magazine JAM.

  • Quibi hits 1.7 million downloads in its first week

    Quibi hits 1.7 million downloads in its first week

    MUMBAI: Short-form video streaming app Quibi has achieved 1.7 million downloads in its first week, says its boss Meg Whitman.

    The app, launched on 6 April, streams clips 10 minutes or shorter.

    The short videos, or quick-bite videos, are ideally suited for short breaks or commuting, the company advertised. The app streams shows that are 10 minutes or even shorter. Another feature of the app is that it streams movies that are broken into small segments.

    The company is making efforts to make Quibi available on TVs. As of now, the app is available only on tablets and smartphones.  

    Whitman, in an interview with CNBC, feels that the COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted the launch.

    "It turns out people have in-between moments at home. We don't actually think it hurt us," she said.

    A few experts were skeptical of the short-video app. They were of the opinion that it would be difficult for Quibi to get users due to the COVID-19 lockdown. They thought that people who are cocooned at homes would prefer watching long-duration videos on bigger devices.

    Quibi is now available as part of a 90-day free trial. While an ad-backed version is available in the US and Canada, an ad-free version has been made available in countries like Germany and the UK.

    Quibi aims to compete with TV and OTTs like Netflix and social media video platforms such as Tiktok and YouTube.