Bluesky unveils TikTok-style video section amid US TikTok tensions
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Bluesky has added a Trending Video section to its platform, enhancing the experience and bringing a more TikTok-like feel to what was largely a text and image-based social network. TikTok’s future in the US hangs in the balance after President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting it a 75-day reprieve following its potential shutdown. Rivals, including Bluesky, have accelerated their efforts to fill the void.
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The new Trending Video section is not automatically added to your feeds in the app’s current version, though it has been launched in the UK. The section should appear in the search tab in the app with a pin button that lets you append this part of the platform to your home feed, as a separate tab. Alternatively, it’s found in the Feeds section of the Bluesky app menu.
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Bluesky’s Trending Video feed is labelled as “beta” and offers a familiar scroll of video thumbnails and buttons to like, reshare, and comment on content. X (formerly Twitter) has also announced the rollout of a 'Video Tab' to US users, though it has not yet launched in the UK.
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X’s Video Tab appears at the bottom of the app’s home screen. “Video Tab offers a full-screen, seamless video experience designed to bring users closer to what they care about most —whether it’s viral trends, top creators, premium content or live events,” says X.
Access to TikTok was temporarily restricted in the US for about 12 hours after a ruling from Congress ordered the platform to divest its business in the country or face a ban. In April 2024, Congress officially enacted the US TikTok ban, requiring the Chinese-owned TikTok parent company, Bytedance, to sell its US operations due to national security concerns.
