TikTok will become ad-free, but for a monthly subscription fee.

      TikTok is now charging UK users £3.99 per month to eliminate ads.

      TikTok has officially introduced a fee for ad-free browsing. The platform has rolled out TikTok Ad-Free, a new subscription service for UK users that removes ads from their feeds for £3.99 a month, approximately $5.40.

      Beginning this week, TikTok will start notifying eligible users about this option through pop-up notifications, and it will be gradually offered to all users aged 18 and older over the next few months.

      What do you actually receive for £3.99 a month on TikTok?

      With TikTok Ad-Free, subscribers will not encounter ads in key sections of the app, such as the For You feed. TikTok also assures that it will not use your personal data for advertising purposes, which is a significant point.

      This subscription is TikTok's way of adhering to the UK's data protection regulations, which necessitate obtaining explicit consent before using personal data for targeted ads. By providing a paid opt-out, TikTok can argue that users have a true choice.

      There is another important detail to note. Even if you pay for the service, you will still see posts from creators who are sponsored or compensated for promoting products, often marked with “#ad.”

      The platform has been piloting this concept since 2023, following reports that some users were offered a similar option for $4.99 a month, indicating a potential future expansion into the US market.

      For users opting not to pay, TikTok's free version remains unchanged, featuring personalized ads and the ability to adjust ad targeting through Settings. TikTok has not disclosed whether or when TikTok Ad-Free might be available outside the UK.

      Is this trend becoming the new standard for social media?

      This change is part of a broader movement within social media. Meta has been quietly developing paid subscription options across its entire suite of apps, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

      Instagram Plus is currently being tested in select markets, providing benefits like extended Stories and story rewatch insights behind a paywall. WhatsApp, which has been free for several years, is now experimenting with its own paid tier named WhatsApp Plus, offering features like premium stickers, custom themes, and the ability to pin more chats.

      While the fundamental experience remains free across these platforms, privacy and additional features are increasingly becoming available for a fee.

      Research shows social media friends may not alleviate loneliness

      Despite being a tool for connecting people, a new study indicates that social media does not necessarily surround individuals with those they care about or significantly reduce feelings of loneliness. Researchers from Oregon State University studied over 1,500 US adults aged 30 to 70 and examined how different types of social media connections affect loneliness, concluding that interactions with online strangers might exacerbate feelings of isolation.

      My experience with deleting Instagram improved my mental well-being

      I admit that I became addicted to Instagram. For a long time, I was unaware of how negatively it was impacting my mind. It may sound dramatic, but the effect gradually crept up on me. I became so accustomed to consuming Instagram reels that my attention span diminished for anything more extended. Watching a full YouTube video felt burdensome, and reading without reaching for my phone felt impossible. I was fully aware of the cause behind this change.

      I attempted to address it through typical methods—setting app timers, trying apps designed to curb doomscrolling, and promising myself to reduce usage. Occasionally, this worked, but more often than not, I found myself mindlessly opening Instagram. Eventually, I stopped trying to control it and simply deleted the app from my iPhone. That simple decision had a more significant positive impact on me than all my previous efforts combined.

      Vine is making a comeback under a new name, Divine

      The beloved six-second videos that launched numerous creators have returned, this time as Divine. The app, backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is now available on both the App Store and Google Play. Divine reintroduces around 500,000 archived Vine videos and allows creators to post new six-second looping videos again. According to TechCrunch, this project was funded by Dorsey's nonprofit "and Other Stuff," which is not seeking a return on investment. His aim is straightforward: to rectify the mistake he made when he shut down Vine in 2017.