Snapchat Looking to Take Back Title of Most Popular Social Media after TikTok Ban

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Snapchat is making a bold move by expanding its monetization program for creators, a strategic step at a critical time for social media platforms, as TikTok faces a potential ban in the United States.

Currently, TikTok is set to be taken off app stores in January, after President Joe Biden signed a bill in April stating that if the platform isn't sold to a non-Chinese company within a year, it will be banned in the United States. Although President-elect Donald Trump promised to "take a look" at TikTok, saying that it helped with voter performance among young people, the app is still on track to be banned on January 19th, 2025.

Ahead of the ban, Snapchat has announced a new program that will launch on February 1, 2025, broadening monetization opportunities to include Spotlight videos. This initiative aims to create a revenue system for content creators, particularly in the U.S. market, amid the likely disappearance of the Chinese-owned social network.

While Snapchat already offers monetization options for users sharing videos in their Stories with friends and followers, this new system will extend to Spotlight videos—a section of the platform focused on entertainment content, similar to TikTok's "For You" page.

Spotlight was introduced in response to TikTok's rapid growth. Unlike Stories, which emphasize connections among close friends, Spotlight is designed to promote viral content to a broader audience.

This feature not only competes with TikTok's popularity but also challenges other vertical video formats like Meta's Reels and YouTube Shorts, both of which have seen significant growth in recent years.

How will this new income-generating system work? Creators must meet certain criteria, including having at least 50,000 followers, posting a minimum of 25 times per month, and achieving specific audience metrics. However, Snapchat has yet to disclose the full list of requirements.

Beyond being a new tool for U.S.-based creators, this move reflects Snapchat's recent growth.

According to Snap Inc.'s official data, total viewing time has increased by 25% compared to last year, and Spotlight now boasts over 500 million monthly active users.

This announcement comes amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. government and TikTok. American officials have accused TikTok of serving as a surveillance tool for the Chinese government, sparking a heated debate over user privacy and national security.

With recent updates on the case, it appears the battle between the U.S. and TikTok is nearing its conclusion. The Supreme Court has set January 19, 2025, as the final date for implementing the ban, signaling the imminent closure of TikTok in the United States.