The big short: Platforms vying to fill void left by Tik Tok ban
Where are the missing TikTokers? Chances are that they are vying for space on home-grown short-video apps such as Chingari and Mitron—both of which boast more than 20 million downloads in the backdrop of TikTok ban. A substantial percentage—62—are also eying Instagram Reels as the perfect alternative, according to data provided by YouGov, an internet-based market research and data analytics firm. If you are one of those who are still on the fence about which app to turn to, YouTube has decided to make the choice still tougher for you. The video-sharing platform is the latest to become part of the short video revolution.
With its recently announced ‘YouTube Shorts’—a short-format video feature within the main app—it aims to fill the vacuum left behind by TikTok. The platform has been highlighting vertical videos which are below 60 seconds for the last couple of weeks now. With the beta launch of Shorts, creators can have video creation tools like those found on TikTok and more recently, Reels on Instagram. This beta version is currently available only in India. “As a creator and artist, I think that it’s an amazing feature that YouTube is launching. YouTube Shorts will bring a sky of opportunities for artists to show their talent in a short-time duration. In today’s busy life, people like short and crisp content which YouTube Shorts will deliver to the audience,” says Kartik Khanwalkar, a musician and YouTuber, who already has a few videos with the new format.”
The one positive that most creators are swearing by is that they do not have to download any different applications. The feature will be available in the YouTube app itself. On the downside, YouTube shall have to be careful that it doesn’t fall into the same trap which had disgraced its Chinese competitor even before the ban. TikTok had been facing problems in India due to fears that it was corrupting the country’s ‘sanskaari’ youth. The app had also ruffled feathers thanks to the viral stunts by TikTokers which led to accidental deaths. Remember the infamous Blue Whale Challenge? It encouraged teens worldwide to take part in 50 tasks over 50 days that culminated in suicide.
“You must remember to be clean with your content as YouTube is very strict about their content policies. One can select background tracks and songs from the YouTube library which is free of cost and there will be no copyright claim on it,” says Khanwalkar. Currently, YouTube Shorts is available for some creators only and it’s in the beta version, but anyone can post their video and trim it to 15 seconds, putting the hashtag #shorts in the description. This helps YouTube pick up and display the video in their ‘Shorts’ section till the full version is available.
Is this new addition better than TikTok or Reels? Technical Yogi, a YouTuber, says, “We will know if it’s better than TikTok only after it has been properly launched. The platform has included Shorts in the main app instead of launching a separate app. This way it shall receive a massive amount of traffic which YouTube originally gets.” After the banning of TikTok in India, a lot of other short video apps have made their entry into the market, but they will all have to start from scratch, while YouTube Shorts has the advantage of an existing consumer base. But Yogi adds a word of caution, “I’m not sure though whether this is something which will be monetisable.” For ex-TikTokers who turned into teenage millionaires lip-syncing to Bollywood numbers, this might be off-putting. But then again, the new feature may lead to the emergence of completely new million dollar babies.
How it works
✥ To check whether you have access to the Shorts camera, click the ‘+’ icon (on iOS it’s the video camera icon) and then select ‘Video’
✥ If you notice ‘Create a short video’ that means you have access to the Shorts camera
✥ The Shorts camera shall give you access to various editing tools, through which you can add music, use speed timers and string videos together
✥ The service is mobile-first and it still remains to be seen whether it will be available for PCs and notebooks user
✥ YouTube has also introduced a new watch experience that lets you swipe vertically from one video to the next
✥ Through the watch experience one can also discover other similar short videos