“`html
TikTok has halted its experimental dating feature that connected single users through live chat rooms, according to reports from Business Insider. The platform had been testing the functionality within a section called “hangout,” which invited participants to meet “great people” or “awesome people to meet.” The chat rooms varied widely in focus, ranging from general socializing to niche communities such as spaces for lesbian users seeking connections.
The company paused both the dating livestream test and the broader “hangout” social livestreaming initiative after rolling it out to a limited audience in the United States and select international markets. A TikTok representative clarified that the platform maintains safeguards for its users, explaining that dating livestreams would only appear to those who already follow the host creator. Additionally, TikTok restricts such livestreams to users aged 18 and older and avoids recommending adult-oriented content to minors.
While TikTok is not primarily positioned as a dating platform, the app has nonetheless become a space where users have formed romantic connections. TikTok’s move into dating features follows Meta’s earlier entry into the space with Facebook Dating, which reportedly attracts over 20 million users. The pause suggests TikTok may be recalibrating its approach to romantic networking on the platform.
“`
Originally reported by Mashable →
About the Author
