TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content.

TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content.

      It seems that scrolling, sending texts, and playing games in your DMs wasn't sufficient.

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      TikTok seems to be trialing voice calling within direct messages, which might position the short-video platform in closer competition with messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp. Jonah Manzano on X recently noticed the feature and shared screenshots, including a notification for an incoming call labeled "TikTok Audio" and a phone icon added to the DM interface.

      From voice messages to calls

      The feature appears to function as a standard audio call that can be started from a DM conversation. According to Manzano's testing, it requires both parties to be friends on the platform before a call can be initiated. A "Mute calls" toggle can also be found in the DM settings menu alongside the existing "Mute messages" option, indicating that TikTok has developed the necessary notification controls to support this feature.

      In August of last year, TikTok introduced voice messages to DMs, as well as photo and video attachments. Voice calling would represent an upgrade, transforming the messaging tab into a more comprehensive communication tool.

      More time in the app

      This expansion aligns with TikTok’s broader strategy to keep users within the platform rather than switching to separate apps for chatting. Over the last two years, TikTok has quickly introduced features such as group chats, DM streaks, broadcast channels, and voice messages. The platform has also recently rolled out a hidden emoji mini-game in DMs that can be used in both one-on-one and group chats, another minor incentive aimed at increasing user engagement within the app.

      Integrating calls would bring TikTok closer to the feature sets of Instagram and Snapchat, both of which have in-app audio calling capabilities. TikTok has not yet confirmed the feature or provided details on a wider rollout, but it’s likely that voice calls will soon be available to a larger audience.

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      Pranob is an experienced tech journalist with over eight years of expertise in consumer technology reporting. His work has been…

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      TikTok’s “Not Interested” button can disappoint you in just a few minutes, according to research.

      A study from Northeastern University discovered that the "Not Interested" button on TikTok is merely a temporary solution, as unwanted content can reappear in your feed within minutes.

      If you've been pressing TikTok's "Not Interested" button in an attempt to refine your feed, new research indicates that the effect is shorter-lived than the platform suggests. A study from Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences found that the feature only provides brief respite, with undesired content returning shortly after the user stops utilizing it.

      How the researchers conducted their testing

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      You can now specify to Instagram’s algorithm exactly what you wish to see on your main feed.

      Instagram's Your Algorithm feature now allows you to control the content appearing in your feed.

      Instagram has been discreetly curating your feed for years without truly considering your preferences. That is changing now. Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced that Your Algorithm, a feature that allows you to view and modify the topics Instagram believes you are interested in, will soon be accessible across your main feed. It was already implemented on Reels and in the Explore section, and this week’s update brings it to the area where most users spend the majority of their time.

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      The UK’s film body is archiving internet memes and viral videos, including "Charlie bit my finger."

      Old memes are now recognized as part of internet history.

      The internet's most whimsical creations are receiving preservation treatment. The British Film Institute has archived around 430 online videos as part of a collection aimed at safeguarding culturally significant internet moments. This collection spans roughly three decades of British online culture, showcasing everything from early livestreaming experiments to viral memes that have become ingrained in everyday language.

      How memes are now recognized as part of modern history

TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content. TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content. TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content. TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content. TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content.

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TikTok is experimenting with voice calls in direct messages, as you need to communicate where you're scrolling through content.

According to screenshots posted by a user on X, TikTok is experimenting with voice calling within direct messages. This feature is said to necessitate that both users are friends and will include a "Mute calls" option in the DM settings.