TikTok testing paid, ad-free version on app: report
In this photo illustration, logos of TikTok are displayed on mobile phone screen and computer screen on June 30, 2023. (Photo by Cem Genco/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
TikTok users may see a new change coming soon to the app.
The popular video sharing site is reportedly testing an ad-free version on its platform.
FOX Television Stations reached out to TikTok for comment.
Citing a report from Android Authority, the Verge noted that a code in the TikTok app apparently showed a new limited version of the ad-free subscription priced at $4.99 monthly.
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A TikTok spokesperson confirmed with Variety that the social media giant launched a "single-market test" of a subscription plan without ads in one country outside the United States but explained that the company may not offer the service in more locations.
News of the potential ad-free subscription comes as the company recently launched TikTok Shop, a new marketplace where users can buy items directly in the app.
The company told the Associated Press on Sept. 12 that the online shop will include several features like "Shop Tab," a marketplace it's been testing on the app since August, and affiliate videos in a user’s feed that allows creators to earn commissions from products.
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TikTok, which has 150 million users in the U.S., continues to negotiate with the U.S. government over its future in the country.
Critics claim that the social media giant could be a tool for China’s government to surveil Americans, the Associated Press noted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.