After extending the TikTok US ban deadline at least four times, the social media giant appears to be closing that chapter: a new US “joint venture” for TikTok is expected to close next month.

While TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has stayed quiet through much of the rumored sales required to keep the app running in the US, the news of a joint US venture has reportedly been confirmed by an internal memo from ByteDance CEO Shou Chew. The agreement, expected to close in January 2026, sees US-based investors take partial ownership, as well as being responsible for data protection.

The agreement comes nearly a year after TikTok went dark in the US for a few hours before President Donald Trump passed a deadline extension for the law that required the China-based social media platform to sell, a law based on data security concerns. The deadline has now been extended at least four times since then, and it looks like an arrangement to keep the app in the US is coming next month.

The TikTok ban echoes another ban over data concerns for China-based tech companies, as DJI faces a potential ban in the US on December 23. Last year, the US passed a law that required passing a security review within a year's time or face being automatically placed on an FCC list that would prevent any new products from being announced in the US.

That government-mandated security review has yet to happen, despite repeated pleas from DJI to begin the audit process. Now, the drone giant is urging lawmakers to extend the deadline and assign an agency to carry out the security audit.

The TikTok ban and the DJI ban are not part of the same legislation, but the two bans have similar echoes of concern over data security. The concern stems in part from a law in China that requires businesses to give the government access to user data, no matter where the user is based.

TikTok was granted several deadline extensions to keep the app running in the US. DJI appears to be hoping for the same thing, as the company is now urging US legislators to extend the deadline. The law requiring the security audit did not detail what would happen if the audit did not begin on time, nor did it assign a specific government agency to carry out the audit process.

If December 23 passes without a completed security audit or government extension, new DJI products will not gain the required FCC authorization to sell products in the US, which includes drones as well as action cameras, gimbals, and accessories. A recently passed law makes it possible for the FCC to also revoke the authorization for previously launched products.

As an American drone pilot, I’m hoping that DJI will see a similar deadline extension. DJI has such a large share of the drone market that finding a drone alternative is a challenge, and many of the other options are also from companies based in China.

You may also like

Read more FAQs about the US DJI ban, or browse the best non-DJI drones to buy.

Several social media platforms have taken flak over the years for copying features from TikTok. But the verical video platform is testing a new feature that I really hope other networks copy: the ability to limit AI-generated video and images in your feed.

This week TikTok shared new efforts in helping viewers spot AI-generated content, and tucked among the list of changes is a new tool to help users limit computer-created content altogether.

The upcoming tool is part of TikTok’s existing Manage Topics tools and, like the existing tools, uses a slider to give users more control over what they see in their feeds. What’s changing is that users will soon see an AI-generated content slider inside this tool.

Adjusting this slider will enable users to tailor their feeds to include more (gag) or less (yay!) AI-generated content in their feeds. However, while the tool is a slider, the most that users can do with it is to “see less” AI-generated content; the tool doesn’t appear to eliminate AI-generated content completely.

The feature is also undergoing testing, so it may need some fine-tuning. Still, it’s a feature that I hope other networks copy.

Instagram and Facebook, for example, don’t have many tools to limit AI content beyond muting the Meta AI in chats. I’ve been annoyed by more than a few video fakes in my feed, often with the feel of that viral fake of bunnies jumping on the trampoline.

The slider to limit AI isn’t the only AI-focused announcement that TikTok has shared. The platform is also testing invisible watermarking applied to content created on TikTok platforms that designates if AI is used.

TikTok already participates in C2PA Content Credentials, but says that those AI labels can sometimes be removed. TikTok is working on adding another layer of invisible watermarking, making it harder to remove, and making its AI labels more accurate.

TikTok says the tests are rolling out “in the coming weeks.”

You may also like

Browse the best cameras for TikTok.

A deal to save TikTok is in the works, according to White House officials – but a potential agreement to license and rewrite the TikTok algorithm is leaving more questions than answers for both content creators and the app’s 170 million Americans who pass the time watching vertical videos.

After President Donald Trump discussed a TikTok deal on social media last week, a White House official has now indicated that a deal to keep the video platform available in the US is in the works and is expected to be signed “in the coming days.”

The potential deal would keep American user data in the US and place the majority of ownership with a variety of US investors, including Oracle, Andreesen Horowitz, and Silver Lake. Around 20 percent would still be owned by investors based in China. A board of directors is expected to have 6 US-based representatives and one from China.

The changes would also include licensing the original TikTok algorithm – and retraining it with US user data. That has both fans of the app and content creators earning a living on the platform with a long list of questions as to what, exactly, the US version of TikTok may look like moving forward, if the deal is, in fact, inked by both sides.

It’s unclear if the rewritten algorithm would require deleting the original TikTok and downloading a second US version. How much would a rewritten algorithm change what videos are delivered and how much reach a single video receives? Would a TikTok app overseen by a board of government-selected officials and re-written on US data have the ability to suppress some types of content on TikTok and propel others?

The deal also hasn’t made any mention of ByteDance’s other apps, including the popular video editor CapCut.

The deal hasn’t yet been signed by both sides, nor have the full terms of the deal been shared. Trump is expected to share an executive order with more detailed terms later this week, and the White House has indicated that the deadline could be extended for another 120 days to allow the deal to take place.

TikTok owner ByteDance has often been silent amid the recurring rumors and reports of a buyer that have surfaced since the initial ban in January and extension of the deadline for a sale. But, last week, the company released a statement, saying simply: “We thank President Xi Jinping and President Donald J. Trump for their efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States. ByteDance will work in accordance with applicable laws to ensure TikTok remains available to American users through TikTok US.”

You may also like

Browse the best cameras for TikTok or the best TikTok filters.

After the US government passed legislation requiring the sale of the TikTok app to remain available for American users, rumors have swirled about a potential buyer. But the latest report suggests that parent company ByteDance could be creating a US version of the popular social media video app.

According to a report citing unnamed sources, The Information claims that ByteDance is working on developing a separate TikTok app for the US. The report indicates a September 5 launch for US app stores, with the existing app unavailable in the US after March 2026.

The report comes shortly after US President Donald Trump said that TikTok “pretty much” has a deal on the sale, with talks planned for this week.

TikTok has not commented on the issue, with the report on the separate app and talks of a sale remaining in rumor territory for now.

The ban on TikTok created challenges for US-based content creators earlier this year when the app went dark in the US after a sale of the popular app wasn’t announced ahead of the deadline. The deadline was then extended after Trump took the oath of office, and was later extended again to September 17.

Along with the impact on content creators, studies hint that TikTok plays a role in driving customers for many businesses, including professional photographers. A report from Oxford Economics and TikTok suggests that 7 million US businesses are on TikTok. Of the businesses surveyed, 39 percent said TikTok was “critical” to their business, while 69 percent reported increased sales in the previous year attributable to TikTok marketing.

You may also like

Browse the best cameras for TikTok, or try these 8 tips for using TikTok to promote your photography.

Content creators in the US woke up to good news on February 14 – TikTok is finally back in the Apple App Store and Google Play. The return of the short form video app comes nearly one month after a mandated ban in the US took the service out before a presidential executive order temporarily restored the service.

TikTok’s re-entry to app stores makes it possible for those who deleted the app during the shutdown to gain access again – a weeks-long absence that prompted some eBay sellers to list phones with TikTok already installed for thousands more than the retail value of a used device. But, making the app available again also brings back periodic updates. Users in the US now have access to TikTok’s bug fixes that were released a week ago.

But while the news is welcome for both fans of the platform and content creators earning an income from the app, the future of the app is still uncertain in the US. A bipartisan measure passed last year required parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face a US ban, citing national security concerns over the app’s current China-based ownership.

However, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that effectively pushed that January 19 deadline back by 75 days. While the app has now returned to both devices and app stores, the order only moved the deadline back to April 5.

According to Reuters, Trump has indicated that he could extend the deadline again, but said another extension may not be necessary if ByteDance enters negotiations for a sale.

TikTok has repeatedly made statements against a sale, however, the more than 135 million users in the US make up more of the app’s audience than any other country. When the company claimed the legislation was in violation of the First Amendment, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where justices decided the legislation could stand. During the case, TikTok’s lawyer said that the app’s algorithms include intellectual property that is owned by the Chinese government.

You may also like

Browse the best cameras for TikTok or the best smartphone cameras.

TikTok’s scheduled demise in the US was short lived thanks to a presidential executive order – but despite the popular video app’s quick return, the app remains unavailable in US app stores. TikTok is finally sharing a workaround with a download for Android devices and a shortcut for iOS users, though it's far from ideal. TikTok now has an Android Package Kit (APK) download available directly from its website.

TikTok remains temporarily available to users in the US after a brief outage – but users who deleted the app during the outage or bought a brand new device are stuck without the app as TikTok has still not returned to Google Play or the App Store weeks later. The outage has caused some eBay sellers to list smartphones with the app already installed for much higher than the typical cost of a used smartphone.

TikTok is now offering the download outside of the Google Play Store for Android users through an APK kit. The company instructs Android users to visit tiktok.com/download to find the app, with both TikTok and TikTok Lite available this way.

The app download remains unavailable to iOS users, as Apple devices require side-loading or jailbreaking to download apps outside of the App Store. Instead, TikTok is instructing users how to add a shortcut to the iOS home screen, but this is simply the web-browser version of TikTok, which is missing key features like the ability to record and share your own videos.

Last year, bipartisan legislation required parent company ByteDance to sell the TikTok app to an owner outside of China or face a ban in the US. Lawmakers cited multiple security concerns. Despite a legal battle that made it all the way to the Supreme Court, the January 19 deadline came and went without a sale and the TikTok became unavailable in the US.

An executive order by President Donald Trump gave the app another 75 days – until April 5 – by declaring that the law would not be enforced. During the Supreme Court case, TikTok’s lawyers said that it was impossible to sell the app because some of the code is intellectual property owned by the Chinese government. Despite that, rumors have swirled about potential buyers that could prevent TikTok from going dark again on April 5.

Visit TikTok's support page for download instructions.

You may also like

Browse the best social networks for photographers or the best cameras for TikTok.

The latest news in the social media saga that’s gripping 170-million hopeful American TikTokers is that Microsoft is in talks to buy TikTok, as revealed by none other than US President Donald Trump. Reuters reported that the recently inaugurated POTUS told the press he would like to see a bidding war over the app, but Microsoft has declined to comment.

It wouldn't be the first time the mega tech conglomerate has been linked with TikTok, the overseas version of Chinese social media app Douyin. During his first term, Trump delivered an "Executive Order on Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok" over national security fears and Microsoft emerged as a serious buyer before talks broke down. But times have changed and, following an executive order to delay TikTok’s US ban, the Trump administration has given some hope to the TikTok faithful that some kind of reprieve can be reached.

But whether or not Microsoft has thrown its hat into the ring once again, it’s still unclear as to what a TikTok purchase would mean for a potential buyer. After all, it’s long been suggested that what makes TikTok tick – the algorithm – wouldn’t be included in an overseas sale.

All of this comes a few days after General Atlantic CEO and ByteDance board of directors member, William Ford, poured cold water on talks of TikTok being sold in favor of a more pragmatic solution between China, ByteDance and the United States.

While talking to Axios, Ford was quoted as stating: "It's in everybody's interest (...) We'll get on with it, as soon as maybe the end of the week in terms of negotiating what might work... The Chinese government, the US government and the company and the board all have to be involved in this conversation."

As it stands, TikTok's future in the USA remains uncertain. And if you were intending to find a sneaky way around the ban should a solution not be reached, it's worth remembering that VPNs don't work.

The saga continues…

You may also like...

Interested in short-form content? Check out the best cameras for vlogging. If you're interested in upgrading your video production, take a look at the best LED light panels. And if you're interested in upgrading your online security, check out the best VPN for photographers.

While TikTok only disappeared from the US for a few hours, the social media platform hasn’t reappeared in the App Store or Google Play. Some eBay sellers are taking advantage of the continued outage and are selling iPhones and Android phones with TikTok pre-installed for thousands more than a typical used smartphone.

TikTok was briefly unavailable to US users as the platform passed the deadline set by legislation requiring the platform to sell outside of China or face a ban in the States. An extension by President Donald Trump gave the app another 90 days to sell, and the app once again became available in the US… at least, to those who hadn’t already uninstalled the app during the brief shutdown.

As spotted by USA Today, some eBay sellers are listing iPhones with TikTok installed for thousands of dollars. Some are listing for only a few hundred, while other listings ask for more than $10,000 (which is about £8,000 / AU$16,000) for an iPhone 16 with TikTok installed. Another listing asks for $10,000 for a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with the app.

Of course, just because sellers are asking for thousands of dollars for the devices doesn’t mean those listings are actually selling. However, some of the current auctions seem to suggest that people are indeed willing to pay more for a used iPhone if it has the app already installed. I spotted one auction for an iPhone 16 Pro Max with TikTok with eight bids for $15,000 (about £12,170 / AU$23,940).

While for many in the US TikTok is simply another way to pass the time and fall down an internet rabbit hole, for creators and influencers the app is a key source of income. When TikTok sued, claiming a First Amendment violation, several TikTokers sued as well. A survey from 2023 suggested that only 12% of influencers on the platform make more than $50,000 (£40,500 / AU$79,500), but some pass the $100,000 (£81,000 / AU$159,000) threshold.

TikTok videos can be viewed from a web browser, but the app is necessary for creating and sharing videos.

Searching for TikTok from the App Store in the US brings up a message that the app and others like it are not currently available. Apple Support also lists apps like CapCut and Lemon8, which are also owned by ByteDance, as unavailable in the US.

While the app has been restored in the US, it’s unclear what the app’s future is; Trump’s executive order only gave the platform another 90 days to try to find a buyer outside the US. In the Supreme Court argument, TikTok said that a sale was impossible because some of the algorithm is intellectual property owned by the Chinese government.

You may also like

For more inspiration, browse the best social networks for photographers or the best cameras for video.

Despite the whirlwind of the past 24 hours, TikTok has not actually been "unbanned" – and in the time it went dark, it became apparent that using a VPN would not make it accessible for American users.

This past Sunday, January 19, saw the official TikTok ban take place in the United States. Many American users who logged into their accounts were met with notices stating that, "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now."

However, just hours later, an addendum appeared noting that, "We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!"

In case you haven't been keeping track, the previous Friday (January 17) the Supreme Court upheld legislation requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok to a US company or be banned in the United States.

However, as part of his incoming Presidential popularity drive, Donald Trump pledged to save the app – overruling three branches of government, and making a U-turn on his own position regarding TikTok back in 2020.

Still, while many celebrated the fact that TikTok has been "unbanned", the fact is that it has only been given a reprieve. Trump said that he intended to give ByteDance a 90-day stay of execution, proposing a "joint venture" of American and Chinese ownership rather than the demand for a 100% sale to the US.

The President-elect said that he would "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security," adding, "I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture" on his Truth Social platform.

So, TikTok appears to be here for 90 more days – though there is no guarantee what happens after that. Perhaps ByteDance will join Meta and X in throwing its lot in with Trump, and agree to joint ownership. But if not, one thing is for sure: using a VPN won't help you get around the TikTok ban.

VPNs don't work on the TikTok ban

In the time it was down on Sunday, TikTokers tried using VPNs (virtual private networks) to circumvent the ban – but the tech tactic did not work.

The best VPN software acts as a common workaround for region-locked online content – such as watching Netflix content that is only available in other territories. It does this by masking your IP address so that it appears you are accessing an online service from another region.

However, VPNs such as SurfShark had no effect on the TikTok ban while the app went dark in the United States – unlike when the app was banned in India, where VPNs still made it possible for Indian TikTokers to access it.

NBC posits that this could be because TikTok blocked the accounts registered with a US telephone number, noting that internet censorship checker NetBlocks confirmed that no internet service provider had blocked the app.

While I hope that TikTok survives beyond the apparent 90-day reprieve, if it doesn't then everyone in the US is going to have to find another digital backdoor if they want to stay on the platform.

You might also like…

While they don't work for TikTok, the best VPNs for photographers are useful for many other online services. And if you're a TikToker, take a look at the best cameras for TikTok.

The upcoming January 19 ban on TikTok in the US will stand, the Supreme Court has ruled. On January 17, the US Supreme Court upheld the US District Court's previous ruling that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act does not violate the First Amendment.

The ruling means that the legislation requiring TikTok to sell outside of China or face a ban from US app stores on January 19 still stands. However, the ban comes the day before President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office; whether or not the legislation is enforced remains heavily debated. Earlier this week, a proposed bill sought to give TikTok another 270 days to sell, potentially delaying the January 19 deadline if passed. Rumors of a potential TikTok buyer could also salvage the app from loosing a third of its users.

"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community," the Supreme Court writes in its decision in for TikTok v. Garland. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights."

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act passed in April 2024 and gave TikTok 270 days to divest from its parent company, ByteDance. The legislation cited concerns that the company could be required by law to hand over user data to the Chinese government. Legislators also expressed concern that the app could be used to spread misinformation.

TikTok Inc., along with a group of creators, however, challenged the legislation, saying that it violated First Amendment rights. After a US Circuit Court ruled against TikTok, the Supreme Court took up the case beginning January 10. The Supreme Court has now sided with the earlier court's decision, ruling that the legislation does not violate the First Amendment. The case proceeded unusually fast, presenting a ruling just seven days later when a two to three month ruling is more typical.

While TikTok’s lawyer argued that congress did not consider other alternatives besides the sale of the app, Justice Neil Gorsuch disagreed, saying that the law was “appropriately tailored” and that the government spent “years in negotiations with TikTok exploring alternatives.”

“Whether this law will succeed in achieving its ends, I do not know,” Gorsuch wrote in his concurring judgement. “A determined foreign adversary may just seek to replace one lost surveillance application with another. As time passes and threats evolve, less dramatic and more effective solutions may emerge. Even what might happen next to TikTok remains unclear.”

As the TikTok ban looms, apps like Red Note, which is a Chinese app similar to Tiktok, became the most downloaded app in the US App Store earlier this week, suggesting Gorsuch’s concern that the app could be simply replaced with another isn’t misplaced.

ByteDance has repeatedly said that selling the TikTok app wasn’t possible. During the Supreme Court’s oral arguments, Noel J. Fransisco, an attorney for TikTok explained that “there are lots of parts of the source code that are embodied in intellectual property that are owned by the Chinese government, and they would restrict, like the United States restricts, the sale of those types of things to foreign governments.” Fransisco also said that rebuilding the code would take years.

What happens to TikTok in the US now?

What will happen to TikTok on January 19 in the US isn’t entirely clear. Initially, multiple sources have said that the app would no longer be available from app stores in the US. However, during the oral arguments, Fransisco said that the app could also be banned from service providers, effectively blocking access even for those who already have the app on their devices.

“At least as I understand it, we go dark. Essentially, the platform shuts down,” Fransisco said.

An anonymous source within the company has told Reuters that US users will see a pop-up when attempting to open TikTok if the ban proceeds as scheduled.

Questions remain, however, on whether or not the legislation will be enforced as the US changes presidential leadership on January 20. A source told the Associated Press that President Joe Biden would not enforce the rule, leaving it up to President-elect Donald Trump.

The original legislation also gives the president the ability to delay the deadline by 90 days if progress has been made on a sale.

This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.

You may also like

For more, read our list of TikTok tips or browse for an alternative with like Bluesky and Threads.

TikTokers in the US may get some breathing room even if the US Supreme Court doesn’t vote in favor of the social media platform. A bill introduced in the Senate on January 13 could give TikTok another 270 days before the app faces a US ban if it does not divest from parent company ByteDance. The bill comes as rumors swirl days ahead of the January 19 TikTok ban deadline that suggests US users may just be trading one risk for another.

The Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, presented by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) would extend the January 19 deadline by 270 days. The bill doesn’t change the earlier legislation requiring TikTok to sell outside China or face a ban in the US but simply extends the deadline for such a divesture to occur. Earlier legislation requires ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US, with legislators citing national security concerns over the app’s China ties.

The deadline extension, if passed, could be key for the platform, as the current January 19 deadline is set for one day before President elect Donald Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office. The US Supreme Court is also currently debating TikTok’s claims that the legislation is a violation of the first amendment.

While Trump signed an executive order in 2020 supporting sanctions against TikTok, the president-elect has now asked the Supreme Court to extend the deadline so he could “negotiate a resolution.” According to Forbes, however, Trump’s options to block the ban are limited.

As the future of the app remains up in the air, rumors circulate over a potential buyer for the app. Some of the latest reports suggest Elon Musk as a potential buyer. TikTok, however, claims that a divesture would be impossible, calling the latest rumors over a Musk buyout “pure fiction.”

However, such a move would further narrow the ownership of some of the most popular social media apps, pushing TikTok towards a Facebook-Instagram-like relationship with the Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter). Users on X have dropped significantly since the Musk buyout, according to SensorTower data.

In the US Supreme Court case, the lawyer for TikTok, Noel Fransisco, has said that selling the app would be nearly impossible, as pieces of the algorithm are “embodied in intellectual property that are owned by the Chinese government” that cannot be sold and building a new algorithm would take years. On the other side, US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar described TikTok as “a tool for harassment, recruitment, and espionage” and cited concerns over both content manipulation and data protection.

Meanwhile, Red Note, or Xiaohongshu, became the most downloaded app in the US Apple App Store earlier this week, a move driven largely by TikTokers trying the app. Red Note is a Chinese app and its growth highlights the fact that legislators narrowed in on TikTok rather than passing legislation limiting China-owned apps in general.

TikTok is used by an estimated 170 million people in the US, roughly a third of the platform's numbers. While the app itself isn’t used in China and ByteDance says it is owned by global investors, legislators expressed concern over the app's origin, expressing concern that the company could be required to hand over data to the People’s Republic of China or that the app’s algorithms could be used to manipulate content.

You may also like

Looking for a TikTok alternative? Browse the list of the best social media networks for photographers, or pick up one of the best cameras for TikTok.

The US Supreme Court heard the first arguments in what could be a pivotal case in the social media age on January 10, as TikTok pressed to avoid a pending ban in the country.

The judges considered whether an act passed by Congress last year, requiring TikTok to part with its China-based ownership, violates First Amendment rights. While the hearing, which lasted more than two and a half hours, has not yet resulted in a decision, the attorney representing TikTok expressed concern that the app won’t only be banned from new downloads after the January 19 deadline, but could go dark in the US if internet providers are also banned from allowing the platform.

“At least as I understand it, we go dark,” Noel Fransisco, an attorney representing TikTok, said. “The platform shuts down, unless there’s a divestiture.” Fransisco explained that the app stores would stop offering TikTok and any updates, but that service providers could also be prohibited from allowing the platform on their networks. The attorney then asked the court, with the presidential inauguration taking place one day after the scheduled ban, to issue a preliminary injunction to delay the ban as the court argues the case.

Previous analysis of the act suggested that the app would disappear from app stores but not from devices; leaving TikTok intact until a lack of updates made the app too glitchy to support. Fransisco’s statement suggests that network providers could also potentially be banned from allowing users in the US from accessing TikTok after January 19.

Jeffery Fisher, a Stanford law professor and attorney representing the eight TikTok creators in the case, said that the act directly restricts American’s access to the “most vibrant speech forum in America.” Fisher said that American creators have always had the freedom to choose a publisher of their choice, and that preventing American access to TikTok would be akin to preventing a US documentary producer from working with BBC.

The act and the Supreme Court arguments have two key concerns: content manipulation and data protection. The first concern the act addresses is content manipulation, or the potential for a foreign government agency to influence what is posted on the social media platform and what is shared with the American public. US general solicitor Elizabeth Prelogar called TikTok a “tool for harassment, recruitment and espionage.”

The second concern that the act addresses is data security, or the potential for a foreign government to use the platform to gather information on American citizens. Prelogar said that the People’s Republic of China has sought to build data profiles on Americans for years, saying “the Chinese government could weaponize TikTok at any time.”

The Supreme Court heard arguments from both TikTok and a group of eight creators, claiming that the law violates free speech. Noel Fransisco, an attorney representing TikTok, argued that the new law targets speech and thus violates the First Amendment.

Selling the company prior to January 19, Fisher said, isn’t possible because it wouldn’t be able to keep its algorithm – which has pieces of intellectual property – nor its team of engineers. Building a new algorithm, Fisher claimed, would take years and result in a radically different TikTok.

Fransisco, who said that all that user data sits on servers in Virginia, argued that Congress never considered obvious alternatives, such as a law preventing TikTok from sharing user data with any other third party.

The court is expected to meet again on the topic on Monday, January 13.

You may also like

Read more on the potential TikTok ban, rewatch the Supreme Court argument or find an alternative in our list of the best social media networks for photographers.

The future of popular social media app TikTok will be debated in the US Supreme Court today, January 10. The case comes as the January 19 deadline looms, which requires TikTok owner ByteDance to sell to a company outside of China or face a ban that would cut a third of the platform’s users. ByteDance argues that the ban violates free speech, while some lawmakers have expressed concern that the social media platform could present a national security risk.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Station, will be live streaming the hearing on YouTube. The hearing is scheduled for 10:00 EST; the court has set aside two hours for the arguments, though the case could take far longer and a decision may not come during the first scheduled argument.

You can watch the stream below:

President Joe Biden signed a law in April, which passed the House and Senate with a bipartisan majority, requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban from the US app stores. Lawmakers expressed concern that the app could be forced to hand over user data to China, presenting a potential national security risk. It’s not the only popular China-based brand receiving political scrutiny in the US, as DJI and Autel now need to pass a security study within a year to remain in the US.

A US Court of Appeals turned down ByteDance’s argument that the law violated first amendment free speech in December; after the company appealed, the case now moves on to the Supreme Court.

If the courts do not vote in favor of TikTok or extend the deadline, the app wouldn’t disappear from US phones on January 19. Instead, the app stores in the country would stop offering downloads, including updates.

According to PBS, the US makes up a third of TikTok users. Losing those users – as well as advertisers that want to reach customers in the US – would deal a big blow to the company. ByteDance previously stated that a sale of the app was not possible.

You may also like

Browse the best social media networks for photographers or the best cameras for TikTok.

TikTok, the popular short form video app currently facing a behind ban in the US, will be banned from Albania for a year after the death of a 14-year-old. The country announced a one-year ban on the social media app over the weekend as part of a widespread plan to enhance safety in schools.

Reuters reports the one-year-ban follows the death of a 14-year-old student. The student was allegedly stabbed by another student following an argument between the two on social media, Reuters reported, and some students allegedly supported the murder on TikTok videos.

“The problem today is not our children,” Albania Prime Minister Edi Rama said, “the problem today is us, the problem today is our society, the problem today is TikTok and all the others that are taking our children hostage.”

A TikTok spokesperson refuted the claims and said that the company was unable to find evidence that the victor or accused even had TikTok accounts, noting that some reports said the videos were posted on another platform.

Rama said the decision to ban the app came from 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents and said that 90 percent of the parents approved the ban. “Our decision couldn’t be clearer: Either TikTok protects the children of Albania, or Albania will protect its children from TikTok,” the Prime Minister said.

The ban comes at the end of a tumultuous year for the social media platform, who also faces a potential ban in the U.S. beginning next month if a Supreme Court case doesn’t side with the China-based Byte Dance. Last month, Australia banned all social media apps for youth under age 16. In the EU, platforms were expected to reach full compliance of the Digital Services Act by February 2024, including additional protection for youth.

Last month, TikTok announced that it would remove beauty-enhancing filters for users under age 18 and label the content that used such filters for all users, following a study highlighting concerns over the impact of such filters on self-esteem.

You may also like

Read more with the best camera for TikTok or browse our list of TikTok tips for photographers.

TikTok isn’t giving up the fight to stay in the US – the Supreme Court said that it will hear the case on January 10, just days before the app faces a ban in the US. While the Supreme Court agreed to take the case, it didn’t make a move to pause or suspend the January 19 deadline requiring ByteDance to sell the TikTok app or be removed from app stores in the US.

According to NBC News, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case just days after ByteDance appealed the court's earlier decision. The hearing is scheduled to begin on January 10, when the Supreme court will decide whether or not the legislation banning the app violates the constitution and free speech rights.

The case stems from a bipartisan law signed by President Joe Biden called Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The legislation requires ByteDance to sell the TikTok app to a US owner by January 19, 2025.

If the company does not sell, the legislation would prohibit the App Store, Google Play, and similar platforms from allowing downloads of TikTok. That means that, while the app wouldn’t immediately disappear from US phones, current users in the US would no longer be able to update the app. Similarly, internet providers would be required to block the app on web browsers in the US.

The legislation stems from national security concern over the possibility of the Chinese government procuring American data from the app. ByteDance, however, believes the legislation violates free speech. “We believe the Court will find the TikTok ban unconstitutional so the over 170 million Americans on our platform can continue to exercise their free speech rights," the company said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia disagreed with TikTok’s claims that the law violated free speech, upholding the legislation and keeping the pending January 19 ban in place.

The January 19 deadline falls just before President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to take office. According to USA Today, Trump previously declared a national emergency in 2019 and prohibited transactions with ByteDance. However, on Monday, Trump said he had “a little bit of a warm spot in my heart” for the app and said, “we’re taking a look at it.”

You May Also Like

Read more with the best cameras for TikTok or tips on using TikTok to improve your photography.

TikTok’s latest attempts to get a potential upcoming US ban of the social media app have been turned down in court today. A federal appeals court upheld the pending US ban on the social media app, slated to occur in January, if the app doesn’t split from the parent company ByteDance. The ruling declines TikTok’s request to review the legality of the new legislation, but some experts note that the case could move to the Supreme Court.

The decision means the app’s presence in the US remains in jeopardy. In April, congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to either sell TikTok or face a ban in the US. The lawmakers cited security concerns that have plagued the China-based company, though Forbes notes that lawmakers have not publicly shared data explaining the security concerns.

TikTok – and some of the creators on the platform – sued the government in response to April’s legislation, claiming that the ban violated First Amendment rights. However, the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals ruling declined ByteDance’s request to review the new law.

The panel of three judges ruled that the legislation doesn’t target free speech. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” the ruling reads. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary's ability to gather data on people in the United States.”

What the court decision means for the future of the app, which has an estimated 170 million American users, is unclear, however. ByteDance has previously stated that selling the TikTok app wasn’t possible.

The shift in presidential leadership could also come into play. The ban is expected to go into effect on January 19 2025; President-elect Donald Trump is expected to take the oath of office on January 20 2025. According to NPR, Trump previously signed an executive order against the app in 2020. However, the president-elect has voiced concern over the potential ban during his bid for re-election.

If the ban goes into effect, the move would affect both US users as well as creators and influencers earning income from the social platform. NPR notes that the ban would prevent the App Store and Google Play Store from listing the TikTok app in the US and that, while the app wouldn’t disappear from devices it already exists on, updates would no longer be available.

The potential ban could also have consequences reaching beyond US borders, as the US has the highest number of TikTok users.

TikTok isn’t the only China-based company facing legislative threats in the US, as a bill that could ban DJI drones passed the House of Representatives in June.

You may also like…

You might be interested in the best cameras for TikTok. You can also read more on the potential TikTok ban, the app's recent attempts to limit teen use of beauty filters, or social media tips and tricks.

After a commissioned study highlighting the impact of beauty filters on self esteem, social platform TikTok will soon limit access to certain filters for teenage users. In an update at the company’s European Safety Forum, the company said that it would soon roll out limits to “appearance effects” for users under the age of 18.

The decision comes as a result of a study TikTok commissioned with Internet Matters, a UK-based nonprofit organization. The study, published on November 26, highlights how the surveyed teenagers and parents felt the social media platform’s tools impacted online authenticity.

“There was a consensus among teens and parents that beautifying filters contributed to a distorted worldview in which perfected images are normalized and authentic visual presentation is rarer,” the published study reads. “There were some concerns that this negatively impacts both those using the filters and those viewing the images – the latter because they could not always tell that an image has been altered.”

TikTok’s response to the finding is threefold. First, the social platform will begin limiting the use of some appearance effects for users that are under the age of 18, a change that is expected to roll out in the coming weeks. The move doesn’t affect filters designed to be humorous such as adding bunny ears, the company notes, but only those designed to alter the users appearance in a way that some may not realize a filter was used at all.

Second, TikTok says it will also begin supplying more information over whether or not an effect has been used and how the filter can change the appearance. This is in an effort to label the filtered videos created by those over 18.

Finally, the company says it is working to update resources for those tasked with developing TikTok effects.

The limitation on access to beauty features comes among a list of updates announced during the European Safety Forum, which will also include additional tools to detect accounts suspected to belong to someone under 13.

I’m both a photographer and mother to a daughter. As such, one of my biggest pet peeves is the over-filtered images increasingly saturating my feed with unrealistic, pore-less skin. These unrealistic filters that anyone can use feel far more dangerous than Photoshop in the hands of a professional with some semblance of a conscience.

I understand wanting to remove acne, but removing all semblance of pores not only sets unrealistic beauty expectations but makes an image look cartoonish. In fact, one of the ways that I spot AI-generated images is by looking for things like a lack of texture. The overuse of beauty filters can make even real camera-captured images feel fake and computer generated.

TikTok’s limitation and labeling of such filters designed to fix “perceived imperfections” is a start. But fighting for authenticity on social media will need to go much farther than labeling and limiting a few filters.

Ready to fully embrace authenticity? Do it with the best instant cameras or the best film cameras, no edits needed.

Every new major camera feature brings out predictions that death is imminent for the previous tech. But while the advent of camera phones spelled a poor prognosis for compact cameras, like film before it, the humble point-and-shoot sputtered and then… never really died.

But when camera brands buy into the doomsaying too early, it leaves few new choices on the shelves. Case in point? The influencer camera trending on TikTok is a series that has been around for more than a decade: The Canon PowerShot G7 X.

The G7 X is a compact camera built around a 1-inch sensor and a 24-100mm equivalent zoom lens. Canon has created three renditions of the compact: the original, the G7 X Mark II and the G7 X Mark III.

Despite the newest version being half a decade old, the Canon G7 X is trending on TikTok among "It Girl" influencers. According to The New York Times’ Wirecutter, the trend caused searches for the camera to hit its highest yet in 2024, driving up prices on eBay and leaving the camera out of stock on Canon’s website.

But the G7 X is far from the only example of cameras unexpectedly hitting viral status, driving up prices and severely limiting availability in a genre once thought to be murdered by the smartphone. The Fujifilm X100VI’s viral fame means that, if you can find the camera, you may end up paying significantly more than list price.

Besides demonstrating proof of life for the compact camera, the trends point to a more serious problem: camera brands don’t really understand what influencers want. And with content as king, influencers will make up a significant portion of the market outside of photographers and videographers.

A compact design is still key

As smartphone cameras grew in capability, manufacturers seemed to divert focus to mirrorless cameras that could offer the most noticeable difference over the cameras that nearly everyone in the developed world now carries in their pockets.

But there’s something to the experience of using a dedicated camera. Photographers like myself have known that all along, but Gen Z is just realizing it for the first time, bringing back old 2000s-era compacts for the experience and ability to take photos without becoming distracted by the rabbit hole that is the internet.

Compact cameras offer that experience, yet don’t require lugging around much extra weight.

Flattery is everything (for influencers, anyway)

Here’s where I think what influencers are looking for may take a serious diversion over what photographers want: influencers tend to care more about how they look in the photos over how the photos look.

One of the reasons the G7 X series is so popular over other compacts is that the camera has a 24-100mm equivalent lens built in, where compacts like the Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR III have a fixed lens. Even the Sony ZV-1F, a vlogging camera designed largely with influencers in mind, fails to offer any sort of zoom. Instead, the vlogging camera has a fixed 20mm lens.

As any portrait photographer will tell you, a longer focal length tends to be more flattering while a wide angle lens will distort the facial features and make them look farther apart. (The “digital teleconverter” on the X100VI simply crops the photo, which doesn’t have the same portrait effect as an actual optical zoom).

Every endless video that I’ve watched of beauty influencers reviewing a camera focuses on how they look in the photo, not the photos themselves.

Cameras don’t need to be “good” to be good for social media

Along those same lines, flattering portraits don’t need to be 50MP. In fact, that high resolution can actually do more harm than good by increasing the texture of the skin with too much detail. The 20MP sensor on the G7 X III – and the single digits of those crappy 2000s-era point-and-shoots – are better for smoothing the skin.

But today’s 50MP sensors are also overkill for Instagram. The social platform downsizes images to 1080 pixels wide, which means even those 20MP shots are getting downsized first.

Listen to any of the influencer reviews of the G7 X III and you’ll hear terms like “filmy” and words of praise for the tiny built-in flash. Fashion influencers don’t care how technically perfect a camera is, they care how in style the images are. And with the film-like look, twenty-year-old point-and-shoots, and direct flash trending, influencers don’t need to drop four figures on a technically superior camera.

Are camera brands too focused on technical "world first” feats?

While the latest trending cameras focus on an old- school look and compact but fashionable size, camera brands are looking towards the next new tech. While that’s a great thing for many photographers, manufacturers shouldn’t ignore the non-professional market either.

As camera brands have diverted focus to mirrorless, 2024’s trendiest cameras should serve as a wakeup call. Mirrorless innovations should continue – but brands also need to stop ignoring both the compact camera and the trend towards imperfect but stylized images.

As smartphones continue to over-perfect memories with artificial intelligence, I think we could see an even bigger demand for compact cameras that understand that memories aren’t perfect – and our everyday cameras don’t need to be, either.

Don't spend more than the $800 list price for the G7 X III – if trends have driven the price of the compact too high, consider some of the best cameras for Instagram or the best compact cameras. And don't miss our rundown of the best Black Friday camera deals

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has unveiled its new AI text-to-video generator in China in the form of a new app called Jimeng AI.

In direct competition with Sora, from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Jimeng AI enables users to generate short-form videos through text prompts – similar to the generative AI technology made popular by Sora after its release in February. 

Jimeng AI offers a monthly subscription to the app for $9.65 (approximately £7.57 / AU$14.68), or $92.00 annually (£72.20 / AU$139.96), enabling users to create 168 AI videos per month. The technology has been developed by ByteDance-owned Faceu Technology and is available on both Android and the Apple App Store for Chinese users.

Similar to its rivals, Jimeng AI uses text prompts to make short videos that supposedly match the description given by the user. Jimeng means "dream" in Chinese, and could be used for a range of content from entertainment and marketing to education. 

Examples of the technology from its website range from the beautiful to the downright bizarre, including tropical moonlight woodlands and Renaissance cats in gold silk dresses. The written prompts are in Chinese, which is a feature only available on a limited number of AI video-making tools. 

Jimeng promises that with a single prompt "you can also make creative changes to existing pictures, customize the image features of characters or subjects, and achieve background replacement, style association, style preservation, posture preservation and other operations to meet the creative needs of various scenes."

Jimeng AI is the latest in a flurry of recent AI technologies in China. Kuaishou is one of China's largest video services, and it released its Kling AI word-prompted model to a global audience in late July. Its beta version is available to everyone worldwide, requiring only an email address. 

Also introduced last month was Ying, from Chinese AI start-up Zhupi AI, quickly followed by the Vidu app, launched by another start-up Shengshu. If TikTok's success is anything to go by, though, ByteDance's take on AI video may become the most popular of them all. 

Take a look at our guide to the best AI image generators and, if you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way, check out the best video editing software.

The hotter-than-hot cakes Fujifilm X100VI has made endless headlines for its popularity. However, most of those headlines have been caveated by the fact that the audience is primarily the TikTok and content creation crowd – along with hipsters and fashionistas. 

So it may come as some surprise that  is officially being adopted by pros, to capture their professional work… but this also comes with a caveat. 

If you're thinking that a compact camera – even if it is the best compact camera – isn't really the best tool for a professional photographer, you're absolutely right. And there's the rub; the X100VI is being used by professionals in creative fields outside photography.

"We ourselves started to notice that the community of phtography, especially the community of Fujifilm users, was beginning to change considerably," said Fujifilm's Victor Ha. 

The vice president of Fujifilm's North American Electronic Imaging Division and Optical Devices Division was a guest on the Fujilove Podcast. Among many other topics, he discussed how the X100VI had been changing trends. 

"And what we were noticing online was a lot more photographers interested in photography that weren't necessarily calling themselves photographers. It would be reductive to call them hobbyists, it would be too simple to call them enthusiasts, but I think it’s a type of creative that maybe they are a primary creative in another space. 

"Maybe they're a chef, maybe they're a hairstylist, maybe they're a professional in another creative field, an independent creative in another field, and they utilise photography or video as a way to show other people what they’re doing, or to differentiate themselves from other folks." 

Ha referred to the emerging audience of 'multi-medium' users; people who draw attention to their primary business using a combination of media, which increasingly involves photography and video.

It's an interesting thing to chew over. Traditionally, the only people who needed professional cameras were professional photographers – but now professionals in any creative industry might need a pro camera, and this is going to change what we understand by the term. In fact, it's already happening.

So the next time you see someone who is "only" using a compact or a point-and-shoot to photograph their work, don't be so quick to judge! 

Take a look at the best professional cameras in a more conventional sense. And if you're intrigued by the fancy Fujifilm but not so much the fancy price tag, check out the best Fujifilm X100VI alternatives. 

The British tabloids are world-famous for their blunt cruelty, but in the case of this video they might have a point. 

The video, which has already gone viral on TikTok, seems pretty unflattering of a man walking across a beach then diving into the sea, at which point he seems to turn into a sea turtle. This was definitely not lost on the same media outfit that compared Liz Truss to lettuce.

The Australian influencer claims he paid AU$900 for the camera (around US$600 or £475) for the 360-degree camera. First, you should have a watch...

So, how can anyone capture a video this bad with a 360-degree camera?

We don't know for sure whether he was using one of the best 360-degree cameras but it's fair to assume given his cavalier attitude to the water he was using something waterproof like an Insta360 X4 in an Invisible Dive Case. 

As someone who has made regular use of 360-degree cameras, I can say with some authority that the poster, Seb Laz (sebbylaz), is guilty of 'user error'.

His first 'mistake' is holding the camera far too close to his face, so his nostrils take up too much of the frame, then seemingly opting for a very wide angle (all of these options are editable in the app).

His second is holding the camera exactly side on, at such an angle that the gap between the opposing lenses is in line with the key detail – his face. This achieves the odd gap that creates the 'turtle effect'.

You could achieve both of these mistakes by holding the camera in your mouth, but he wouldn't do that, surely?

In one of his other videos, he says a passerby in Italy calls him a "Stronzo" which he interprets to mean he looks strong because he is wearing a tank top. Stronzo is Italian for "asshole".

On this point I won't comment, but I will say a quick scroll through his previous postings suggests he knows exactly what he is doing with his 360 videos.

Just as this year he is getting traction by claiming to have spent AU$900 on 360 video that looks odd, about a year ago he posted very similar ones but claimed he'd spent AU$800 on a 360-degree camera. Inflation?

Rest assured that you can have a vacation and not have it ruined by a 360-degree camera – I know, I tried – and (as I think we've discovered) deliberate "incompetence" to take videos this bad!

Check our guide to the best 360-degree cameras.

After a generation in which reasonably free global trade has meant access to products from anywhere, competition, and (relatively) accessible prices, things seem to be changing. Photographers without drones might be sitting back unconcerned, but things could be a lot more worrying.

Last week, I interviewed DJI's Head of Global Policy Adam Welsh and he couldn't tell me for sure whether the proposed ban on the company's products working its way through Congress would affect the company's cameras or not. 

DJI don't know, because the law is so vaguely worded, and that's not a great state of affairs for anyone who likes cameras.

DJI drones and cameras are manufactured in China for a Chinese-owned company, but it's far from the only technology area to have been targeted in America, and the government seems to be getting quicker at getting bans through. Previous victims include Hikvision (security cameras) and Huawei (phones and tech), so we know it can happen, and seems to be doing so more often.

TikTok has been banned already, by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and India. There are also restrictions on use in Australia, EU states, and the USA on having the app on phones used by government officials, but the law proposed in the USA is more like the Taliban one.

Ironically the ban on TikTok – which amounts to forcing the owners to sell it – actually somewhat depends on help of the Apple App Store and Google Play stores to close off access – ironic because this monopoly is itself the subject of various anti-trust disputes in countries including the USA.

What we do know is that (if the rule doesn't get changed by the Senate before the bill is passed), new DJI "surveillance devices" will be banned. Personally I'd say that phrase can describe a camera, like DJI's excellent Osmo Action 4 which tops our guide of best action cameras, and as a camera consumer, I personally would much rather see companies like GoPro have to work for my custom by producing better products rather than having their lawyers sweep competitors out of the stores.

The real worry, though, is where this ends (assuming it does). Because what is happening now is incremental, but we all know how much of our equipment comes from China one way or another. 

While the context is clearly different, Pastor Martin Niemöller's famous poem 'First They Came' hints at the chipping away of various companies and communities which faces us as camera consumers. Each supplier seems reasonably happy to lose a competitor – indeed it might be lobbying for it – but there is an overall momentum which might be harder to stop.

If the protectionist voices – largely but not exclusively Republican – in the US government are successful in stopping DJI from selling into America, as they have been with Hikvision and Huawei, is your next camera at risk?

Canon has more or less seen this risk off at the pass, bringing manufacturing back home to Japan. Nikon stopped their small camera manufacturing in China back in 2017, but that had more to do with the success of phones than a desire to leave China at the time.

Sony, recognising the growth of China as a market, retained its Chinese manufacturing facility but transferred production of products for the US and Europe to Thailand according to Nikkei Aisa.

Other companies like Insta360 – dominating the rapidly growing new camera tech, 360-degree cameras, and Chinese – might have a little more to worry about though, but we've not heard anything yet.

So – in short – you should be able to buy your next camera so long as the American bans are motivated at least in part by political control (DJI & TikTok are 'Chinese') and not the place the components are manufactured, but – because no one is taking any chances – it'll almost certainly be adding to the cost of every camera already.

It doesn't look like the DJI ban will be retroactive, even if it does happen, so check the best camera drones available now and feel safe as you do, but if you really want to look for other options we have a best non-DJI drones guide too!

Adobe Express users will now have access to TikTok’s commercial music library, allowing content creators to use more than a million popular songs. 

Announced today at the Cannes Lions International Film Festival for Creativity, the integration will make TikTok’s commercial music library available on Adobe Express via the Symphony Assistant add-on. 

Adobe said:

“With Adobe Express features, powered by Adobe Firefly generative AI and designed to be commercially safe, and music from TikTok’s Commercial Music Library pre-cleared by TikTok for commercial use, users can confidently create and post TikTok content for their business.”

According to TikTok, 88% of their users say that sounds are essential in conveying brand identity and increasing the likelihood of making a sale. This initiative will enable users to quickly access over a million songs and add an extra layer of design to their marketing content.  

This move comes several months after Adobe and TikTok announced its “first-of-its-kind” integration with TikTok’s Creative Assistant. This enabled TikTok users to create high-quality videos to push their brands quickly, and easily. 

TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media apps and has become an essential tool in many brands' marketing strategies. The app design is very simple and allows users to scroll for hours and take in and view a huge amount of content in a short space of time, while the algorithm continues to put things that may be of interest to the user directly in front of them.

Not only have people been able to forge entire careers through content creation on the app, but the amount of money that people will pay for a sponsored post on a popular person’s page is incredible.

Depending on a user's number of followers, they can receive up to $2,500 for one post, more in some cases (on a platform that suggests 1 to 4 postings a day).

“Creativity is the core of TikTok. Content, communities, and cultures are all directly connected to, and built by, creativity on the platform,” said Andy Yang, Global Head of Creative Product at TikTok.

“We are continuously building and investing in creative solutions to help our brands be creative storytellers and connect with the TikTok community. We are excited to further expand our partnership with Adobe, giving brands the tools to soundtrack their TikTok content and create at scale.”

Adobe found themselves in hot water recently after an update of their terms and conditions included allowing the media company to have access to any form of media uploaded to its many programs. This led to many calling for a boycott of Adobe and their software.

Why not check out our guide to the best photo editing software, and the best tablets for photo editing. 

Following yesterday's rather more cerebral teaser image for its new camera in China, Panasonic's latest teaser video has gone full TikTok – all but confirming that this camera is aimed at the social media crowd.

The new video, embedded below, was posted to the Japanese Lumix account on X (Twitter). While the previous teaser featured the tagline "Capture true color", this video doubles down on influencers by punctuating footage of hip young people taking selfies with the words "Shoot," "Style," "Share" and "Social".

No shade. It's just a very pronounced change in tack. Where the Chinese teaser was thought-provoking, creative and inspiring, the new video just feels like flat-out pandering to TikTokers and YouTubers. 

You can watch the video and judge for yourself:

So then, will this be positioned as a camera for vlogging? This branding is certainly a million miles from the kind of marketing that would appeal to hardcore street photographers using the Ricoh GR III, or upmarket full-frame compact shooters who cherish the Leica Q3. 

This definitely seems like a camera aimed squarely at influencers and the Fujifilm X100VI crowd. With the full tagline "A new way to shoot, style, share and social" Panasonic is clearly promising something new to the market – which is probably where the "capturing true color" tag from the Chinese messaging comes into play.

What does that look like? Since this new Lumix is gunning for the X100 crowd, why not go the whole hog and simulate Fujifilm's film simulations – I'm guessing filters, focusing on color expression, are at the heart of this feature.

The video concludes with the word "Soon" and the same May 23 date. I'm certainly less excited about this bit of marketing than I was the last one, but hey – the last few Lumix announcements have knocked it out of the park, so here's hoping that form continues.

Take a look at the best Panasonic cameras, which includes some of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras and best full frame cameras.

When you head out of the house, you might want to stay in touch with your pets. Or at the very least, keep your eye on them. That's one of the many reasons for the popularity of the best indoor cameras.

What we don't always get to see is just how much the pet understands what is going on, but – as this amazing TikTok clip shows – perhaps sometimes the animals have a better idea what is happening with this tech, and want to remind their humans to check them out?

There are two key features you'll find on cameras like this that the cat seems to understand. This camera looks a lot like the Blink Mini to me, though I can't be sure.

The first feature is that the cameras have the ability to alert you to movement wherever you are. There is definitely a lot of movement going on here, and the poster says that the cat owner is away at college but the cat is still very definitely showing them love!

The second is that, using the phone app and a small speaker inside the camera, the pet owner can stay in touch with the pet, at least verbally. "Your cat knows you can drop in on the cameras" as the caption in the video puts it.

Is it as sad as some of the comments on TikTok describe it, or is it really very cute? It's hard to say, but it's easy to see why this climbing, dancing, and attention-seeking kitty is getting so much love!

Check our guides to the best indoor cameras and the best pet cameras.

If you ever need to design things like promotions for social media or banners for websites but you're NOT a designer, Adobe Express has been made with you in mind. Its USP is that it makes it quick and easy to make professional looking content using easy-to-use templates and clever AI features. 

To provide added value, last year Adobe added generative AI smarts to Adobe Express, followed by an Adobe Express web app you can use without downloading anything. And all that must have gone well, because today, they're launching Adobe Express apps for iOS and Android in beta. 

Available as a free download, Adobe Express will give users access to generative AI capabilities at no extra cost during the testing period. 

These include Text to Image, which enables you to quickly create a new look for a project with Firefly generative AI. You just type in a text prompt and Adobe Express will generate the art for you. 

There's also Generative Fill, which allows you to insert, remove or replace people, objects and more, again with simple text prompts. And thirdly there's Text Effects, which enables you to make attention-grabbing headlines, copy and messages with text stylings using generative AI.

These AI tools, powered by Adobe's Firefly software, enable users to generate imagery from text prompts or expand existing visuals across an entire canvas. (If you're suspicious of this kind of tech, though, read our guide to How to make Firefly work for you, not against you).

Once the app exits beta, the generative AI features will become part of Adobe's paid Express subscription plans starting at $9.99 per month. However, the core Adobe Express app will remain free for basic design and editing tasks.

A key aim of the launch is to improve collaborative workflows between Adobe Express users, by providing real-time co-editing and smooth review and commenting capabilities, to speed up the creation process.

Key features of the new apps also include: 

• Stock content: Access thousands of video and multipage templates, more than 25,000 Adobe Fonts and hundreds of thousands of Adobe Stock videos, music tracks and image and design assets.
• Quick Actions: Edit photos and videos, remove background and resize images in just one click.
• Content Scheduler: Plan, preview, schedule and publish to social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
• Video features: Use video templates, combine video clips, images and music, add animations, and generate real-time captions in 100+ languages. There's also a video timeline tool, layer timing and support for 4K.
• Brand kits: Upload and share brand assets and easily use brand fonts, colors and logos on your design.

“Millions of users around the world are turning to Adobe Express to create more content than ever before – more than doubling the number of creations ever made in just the last year,” said Govind Balakrishnan, senior vice president, Adobe Express and Digital Media Services at Adobe. “The new Adobe Express mobile app puts Firefly – our generative AI models – front and center, giving users unprecedented ways to create videos, designs, photos and images that stand out." 

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams (head of the Anglican Church) has admitted that vicars can be a 'complete pain' and 'over controlling' of photographers during weddings following the publication of a petition started by wedding photographer Rachel Roberts.

This follows a growing spate of TikTok videos discussing priests and vicars banning photographers from shooting during the ceremony, apparently regardless of the wishes from the couple. One such posting seems to have been the last straw for Roberts, the widely shared clip of a photographer being told off by an officiant on TikTok.

The photographer, Julieanne Whyte, notes that she debated whether she should post it, but was tipped over the edge by what she saw as a clear attempt to intimidate her from doing a job she had been paid for. This struck a chord with the (dare we say it) clearly media-savy Rachel Roberts who started a petition and who has now had her petition mentioned in numerous global media, and appeared on them.

On the flip side, you can't exactly credit the former Archbishop of Canterbury with the same savvy, pouring oil onto the fire by commenting. Sure, his remarks – in full – were sympathetic to both sides, also pointing out "The event isn't staged just as a spectacle to be filmed, but as a personal encounter of a couple with God." 

Nevertheless, they have of course been clipped enthusiastically by tabloids stoking fire and in support of photographers rather than vicars. At least those media outlets forced by charter to see both sides of a story like the BBC have done so, making it a talking point... (click see more to play) 

If you've already seen the battle online and in the media and been trying to find Rachel Roberts it might help to know she operates Rachel London Photography, based in Lincoln, UK. She also has marketing and communications experience from her job which might have helped gain global attention for this issue.

It doesn't stop it being an issue faced by a lot of photographers, though. As she herself points out when interviewed, the petition also provided a lot of photographers the opportunity to share their experiences and they've not all been good.

Check our guide to the best camera for wedding photographers.

Getting pulled over by the police can be scary experience, all the more so if there are few other people around. But did you know you can set up your iPhone to have your back? In a popular TikTok video, user @corielynnn shows how a simple but clever iOS shortcut can be used to make your iPhone record and share a potentially tricky altercation with the cops.

The TikTok user explains: "Do you have an Apple iPhone? Do you know about the police shortcut link? You're going to want to know. Buckle in." Once you have downloaded the shortcut link, she says "all you have to do is say 'Hey Siri', I'm being pulled over' and it's going to initiate 18 different reactions at one time."

The shortcut starts by sending your precise location to a pre-defined contact of your choice, then it activates the phone's front-facing camera to video the situation. To give the impression that the phone is inactive, the shortcut will also dim the phone screen to 0% brightness, along with muting any music you may be playing. The recording from the front-facing camera is also uploaded live to your iCloud or Dropbox account for added security.

Once you've enabled the free shortcut, available here, all you need to do to activate it is to simply say "Siri, I’m getting pulled over", and your iPhone will start recording.

Though the shortcut may be making waves right now, it was actually created back in 2018 by Reddit user Robert Peterson. To get the feature on your iPhone in preparation for if you're ever pulled over, you'll need to:

1. Ensure your iPhone is running iOS 12 or later
2. Get the shortcut here
3. Once downloaded, set up your preferred contact who you’d like to be alerted
4. Of course, for the feature to work best, you'll need your phone mounted in a car phone holder, angled towards you and your driver's side window, so the front facing camera will have the best chance of recording a police officer standing alongside your vehicle.

Story credit: The Mirror

When it comes to AI, Adobe is certainly making sure it isn’t left in the dark with the release of Adobe Elements and Adobe Premiere 2024. The one-off payment photo and video editing software now features some exciting tools powered by AI that will give users more creative power at the click of a button. 

Since the launch of Adobe Firefly, Adobe has been relentlessly updating its image and video editing platforms to include generative fill AI tools that make editing quicker and easier. Until now, these tools were only available to users who paid for a Creative Cloud subscription but now Adobe Photoshop Elements users have access to a range of quick actions such as skin smoothing, JPEG artifact removal and background selection that free up more time to focus on the important side of editing - being creative. 

• Check out the best photo editing software enabling you to retouch, fix or transform your photos

Along with the introduction of AI-powered tools, Photoshop Elements also has a brand new look featuring modernized icons, better fonts and the option to work in either light or dark mode. The new match color feature gives users the power to completely transform the look of an image by matching the colors to one of Adobe’s built-in presets or to one of your own photos making it easy to crank up the vibrance, turn an image black and white or add some more cinematic color grading. 

In a world where so many of us consume and create content on our camera phones, Adobe has also added a new feature that allows users to create and share beautiful photo reels. Users can select from a variety of layouts including 9:16 (perfect for mobile), 1:1 or 16:9, add text captions, photo filters and graphics such as borders or stickers then export them as MP4s and GIFs to share on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. 

Keeping mobile in mind, Adobe has also added some handy tools to the mobile companion app giving users the power to perform simple edits such as image straightening, auto corrections and background removal directly from a mobile device. These images can then be saved and uploaded to the cloud so they can be accessed on the web app to make more in-depth creative edits. This latest update also gives users access to Adobe Stock - an extensive library of thousands of images that you can use to create surreal imagery, replace a background or create standout posts for social media using Quote Graphic. 

Not forgetting about Adobe Premiere Elements, just like Photo Elements, users can match color to give videos a completely new look. Using AI and automation, Premiere Elements can now stitch together the most exciting part of your videos using Highlight Reels. It focuses on action, people and faces to create an engaging video without the hassle of choosing your own shots. It will also apply the same cinematic filter across all your clips to give it a seamless finish. 

You can also enhance your storytelling with new audio effects such as reverb, vocal enhancer and dehummer which will make your videos sound more professional and improve the overall listening experience. Just like in Adobe Photo Elements, it’s now even easier to add graphics and sync videos so you can access them on the Cloud. 

The world of editing has completely changed with the introduction of AI-powered tools. Fiddly time-consuming tasks have been replaced by one-click tools and the integration of mobile-optimized features makes it faster and easier than ever to create beautiful photos and videos to share online. While AI continues to cause controversy in the photography world, we have nothing but good things to say about Adobe’s AI additions. 

Premiere Elements 2024 and Photoshop Elements 2024 are available to buy now for $99.99 each, or for $149.99 for both. 

Check out the best video editing software designed to help you create beautiful, cinematic videos

The latest AI trend turns your selfies into high school-style yearbook photos. If you’re active on Instagram, chances are you would have seen a selection of different versions of your friends wearing Nineties-inspired outfits ranging from preppy to punk rock – but what you might not know is that those images have been paid for. 

Now I’ll admit, in the past, I have paid to have AI-generated images of myself created in the name of research – not just because curiosity got the better of me. Yes I’m lucky to have a job where I can buy into that kind of trend for “work purposes”, but I quickly grew concerned that I was paying to sell my data to companies without fully knowing what they might do with it. After all, who has time to read all the terms and conditions?

• Check out the best AI image generators and start creating your own fantastical artwork using text prompts

Sitting at number three in the app store chart, Epik has shot up in popularity over the last few days thanks to another viral TikTok / Instagram trend. For about 5 bucks you can generate 60 alternative versions of yourself, "shot" as if you're having your high school photo taken. 

I have to admit, the results are very impressive. They do actually pass as real photos and if they appeared in a yearbook from the Nineties I'd assume they were real photos. But like all AI images, they seem to conform to stereotypical beauty standards. 

This isn't the first time an AI image-generating app has gone viral; when Lensa first added an AI avatar feature, everyone was downloading it to see what they would look like as an anime character or Disney princess. I did it, too! But I was shocked when I discovered how sexualized many of the images were, as if AI has an obsession with boobs. 

Luckily Epik doesn't seem to overly sexualize images, but it does airbrush your skin, make your facial features perfectly proportioned and take away all your individual quirks that make you, you. 

I'm not gonna lie, it's taken a huge amount of self-control to not just throw caution to the wind and pay for the pictures. I want to see what I would look like as a glam rock high schooler or a pom-pom-wielding cheerleader, but alas I must settle for enjoying the actual images my friends have shared (and I'm glad they have). 

This recent obsession of seeing alternate versions of yourself has only been made possible through the ever-advancing capabilities of AI, and it's getting to the point where it is scarily realistic. Just a few days ago, the winner of the very first AI art award was announced for a submission that looked like a vintage film photo. Yes, AI can be entertaining, it can be an incredibly helpful tool, but I think it is getting to the stage now where we need to be transparent about when and how we are using it. 

Although companies such as Epik and Lensa claim to not use your images for any other purpose than to generate your photos, I can't help but be a little bit worried that my face could be used to train computers to generate realistic images of digital people in the future and I'd be none the wiser. 

Big thanks to my friend Vicaas Hussain for allowing me to use his Epik-generated images!

Want to take real portraiture? Take a look at the best cameras for portraits and the best lenses for portraits, and check out our portrait photography tips. 

Adobe's been holding its annual Adobe Max conference since 2003, and every year it dominates the headlines on creative industry websites like the one you're looking at. But while Adobe makes some of the most popular videography software, these tools don't usually get a lot of attention. 

In years gone by, it was always Photoshop that Adobe put most of the emphasis on; nowadays it seems to be focusing more on AI tools aimed at marketers and non-professionals. Either way, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it didn't care too much about videographers. 

Yet if you scratch the surface, you'll find that significant updates to its video making tools also tend to get airtime at Adobe Max too: and to help you out, we've listed everything scheduled to be announced in today's opening keynote.

It's fair to say that at this year's Max, the focus is on speeding up video workflows, rather than anything completely revolutionary. Still, we all have deadlines to meet, and we all want to go home at the end of the day, so these new features are still worth checking out...

 Five new features for video

We've been excited for a while about Adobe's plan to integrate Frame.io into Premiere Pro and After Effects, which allows videographers to collaborate remote with others on footage, in real-time, even at high resolutions. And it now seems to be gaining a head of steam; hence the debut of 'Share for Review' with Frame.io in both video and audio tools. Premiere Pro will now have a 'Share' button that will now intuitively introduce Premiere users to Frame.io, with the click of a button for faster content sharing and collaboration. 

Another big announcement is that Premiere Pro users can now publish videos directly to Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. The software now includes new templates that make it easy to set up projects for publishing in the most popular sizes and layouts for social media. In other words, creating, editing and publish shorts and reels directly to social media platforms just got quicker.

This means videographers can create posts, add captions, hashtags, and keywords, and then upload them directly from Premiere Pro. For anyone who doesn't post on social media regularly, you might wonder what the fuss is about. But anyone who does will know just how maddeningly time-consuming a job it is, and will appreciate any time-saving or efficiency Adobe can offer here.

Additional innovations in Premiere Pro include a huge 5x timeline performance advancement for faster and smoother editing, along with new color preferences and improved tone mapping to make it easier to improve the color in your video; a popular request from the Premiere Pro community that Adobe has acted upon.

Video templates

And that's not all. If you're seeking an easy way to create polished video content quickly, you'll be pleased to know Adobe Stock is introducing video templates. The stock library, which is integrated into all of Adobe's Creative Cloud tools, will now add a rich new video template collection that brings together Premiere Pro, After Effects and Motion Graphics templates.

Finally, Adobe will also be announcing new AI-powered text-based editing and motion improvements in Premiere Pro and After Effects. Although right now, that's all we know: Adobe hasn't told us anything more about this… or indeed the other new features we've described above.

To be honest, this is a bit unusual: normally, us journalists get to attend a virtual or real-life press conference in advance of Adobe Max, to see the new features being demoed and ask the experts questions. This year, though, we've seen nothing, and nor have any of our colleagues on sister titles. So basically, we've shared about all there is to share at this point. 

If you want to watch along at home, though, and see whether Adobe actually gives more details or shows anything in action, you can register to watch Adobe Max (which starts today) online, at max.adobe.com.

Just days before Apple's iPhone 15 announcement, it has emerged that China has expanded its ban on iPhones – rocking the American company's market value. 

The launch of the iPhone 15 family next week, on September 12, is the biggest event on the Apple calendar. However, with the greater Chinese territory (also comprising Taiwan and Hong Kong) accounting for 20% of sales between April and June, Apple's market capitalization has plunged by $297 billion. 

• These are the best iPhones for photography

That's according to Nikkei Asia, which notes that the expanded ban now also includes Apple Watches and AirPods. 

"China's restrictions on the use of iPhones by central government employees are expanding to local governments and state-owned companies, Nikkei has learned," says the report. 

"Central ministries and agencies have restricted the use of foreign-brand products in official business since around 2020. Such curbs have since been expanded to employees of local governments, including prefectures, and cities, and state-owned enterprises since around August this year, sources, including a government employee, told Nikkei."

The article notes that most people working in state-owned companies have two phones – a Huawei phone for business and an iPhone for their own use. The fear is, with the US-China trade war showing no signs of abating, that the Apple ban will sooner or later spread to personal users as well.

"Many government employees already have two iPhones and Chinese-branded products, but if the [Communist] Party's guidance spreads to private companies and individuals, the impact on sales will be inevitable," an analyst told Nikkei Asia.

There has been a huge clampdown on the use of Chinese technology in the West, with the US famously blacklisting Huawei and Xiaomi phones as well as banning TikTok on its own governmental devices. Newton's Third Law, perhaps?

Looking for Apple alternatives? Check out the best Samsung phones, the best Xiaomi phones, the best budget camera phones and the best burner phones. 

If you hear the name Hollyland, you might presume that I'm going to tell you about a new entry to our best microphones guide. Instead, however, Hollyland has entered the live streaming camera market with its new camera, the VenusLiv.

This has been designed specifically for live production such as shopping, online courses, podcasting, and other small indoor live streaming activities.

• Check out the best cameras for streaming right now

The Hollyland VenusLiv combines convenience and compact - with a built-in 24-70mm zoom lens and a 12-megapixel 1/2-inch sensor. With a 1080P 60fps video output, it is designed as a plug-and-play option for anyone wanting to get more professional-looking streams.

The VenusLiv supports Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), a key capability for live broadcasting, which enables users to stream on numerous platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more. RTMP is a communication technology that is ideal for streaming as it delivers low-latency and high-quality video and audio.

This camera also features built-in USB video class (UVC) capability, which means there is no need for a video capture card – again making this a true plug-in-and-play device for anyone. Users can simply connect VenusLiv to their computer via USB 3.0 and start streaming directly.

For those wondering about autofocus, the VenusLIiv is equipped with hybrid AF capabilities and uses phase and contrast technology to quickly focus on foreground objects, ensuring images always stay sharp and clear. The powerful, easy-to-use HollyOS system, plus effortless focus adjustments and frame monitoring, always captures the shot that users want. 

VenusLiv also has a unique color-tuning feature that enables users to adjust the appearance of the main subject without changing the color of other items. For example, this can beautify the person presenting while preserving the true appearance of a product – sounds a bit like temperature control to me, but I could be wrong.

Overall this sounds like a great solution for anyone wanting to up their video quality for live streaming or to make it a career.

I say career, as opposed to those looking to start out in streaming, as the Hollyland VenusLiv is priced at $999 in the US – which isn't a lot for a quality broadcasting camera as feature-packed as this, but it might be out of reach for those just dipping their toes into the live streaming pool. 

You might also be interested in the best YouTube cameras and the best cameras for Instagram

A despondent bride who spent $3,000 on a wedding photographer has been blown away by the kindness of TikTok viewers, who have offered her a free photography session. Brooke was left in total shock after receiving her wedding photos, which she has described as “all the way around bad”, so took to TikTok to share her experience.

Your wedding day is meant to be one of the most memorable days of your life, and when it comes to photography people spend big bucks to make sure it’s done right. Anyone who has ever shot a wedding knows it’s a high-pressure environment where you have just one chance to get the shots.

While the best cameras for wedding photography are helpful tools, having a good eye for composition, the ability to tell a story and a connection to the couple is the recipe for taking photos that make people cry happy tears.

Unfortunately for Brooke (@anotherbabblingbrooke), the wedding photos she was handed made her cry for all the wrong reasons. Not only were some shots missed, but the photos she received were also badly cropped, out of focus, poorly composed and taken from unflattering angles. 

The job of a wedding photographer (and any portrait photographer, for that matter) is to make their subject feel calm, confident and beautiful so that when they look back at the photos they are filled with self-confidence – not self-loathing.

In the TikTok (above), Brooke describes her first dance photos as some of the “worst she’s ever seen” – and I’m inclined to agree with her. They’ve been taken at unflattering moments, with poor lighting and absolutely no thought when it comes to composition. Not only are the photos awful, but the photographer is also refusing to respond to emails, offer a refund or provide a solution. 

Since Brooke posted the video to TikTok she has received over 140K likes, 6,500 comments and more than 3,200 shares. Viewers wholeheartedly agreed that Brooke had been ripped off, while others offers words of condolence. However, multiple wedding photographers went above and beyond, offering Brooke and her husband a wedding photo shoot completely free of charge. 

Nothing will be able to make up for the photos missed on the actual day, but Brooke will at least have the opportunity to feel like a beautiful bride and have a set of photos to be proud of. She is currently in the middle of a lawsuit with the unnamed photographer in the hope that she will receive compensation. But the moral of the story is, an expensive wedding photographer doesn’t necessarily mean stunning wedding photos.

It seems many of the videos Brooke originally posted have now been taken down from TikTok, which could be to do with the ongoing lawsuit and not wanting to risk a defamation case. No matter how you look at it, though, when you're spending $3K you expect to receive photos that capture the essence of the day. 

These are the best lenses for wedding and photography, from prime lenses to telephotos. And the best flashgun and strobes are perfect for capturing stunning wedding shots in low-light environments

You might think that posting videos and scrolling on TikTok (or other social media platforms) is completely harmless, but you’ll be shocked at how polluting it is for the planet. It’s estimated that the average person produces 24 tons of CO₂ emissions by sharing, liking and scrolling through photos and videos – which is equivalent to flying from New York to London 26 times.

Frequent flyers have a bad rep for creating a lot of CO₂ emissions but, if you’re a travel photographer or a documentary filmmaker, it’s an unavoidable part of the job. While many of us use social media for business purposes, a large portion of people mindlessly scroll through TikTok or Instagram just to pass the time – completely unaware of the devastating effects it’s having.

• Check out the best camera for TikTok – but try to be more conscious about how you use social media

Recent research shows that every year, TikTok alone is racking up a mind-blowing 30.72 billion kilos of CO₂ emissions – that’s the equivalent of using just over 3 billion gallons of diesel. Facebook falls into second place, with a scarily large 27.5 billion kilos of CO₂ emissions, while Instagram emits around half the amount of carbon emissions as TikTok – although this is still worrisome, at 15.4 billion kilos. 

TikTok's high carbon emissions come down to the fact that it's solely a video-sharing platform, whereas Instagram and Facebook also have posts solely containing images or text. According to Greenspector, a single minute spent on TikTok uses 0.27 liters of water and 1.88 square meters of land due to the server centers required to keep it running.

It’s hard to imagine just how much these CO₂ emissions are, but when you compare it to things that we know are polluting such as oil, gas and electricity, those figures suddenly seem even worse. For example, Facebook’s CO₂ emissions are the equivalent of 63,745,380 barrels of oil, while Instagram's emissions equate to burning 17,335,752,229 pounds of coal. Reddit, Snapchat, Pinterest and YouTube also have their part to play in social media CO₂ emissions, but are nowhere near as bad as the top three contributors. 

"Comparing the emissions of our favorite social media channels to international flights really puts into perspective just how pollutive our scrolling can be," said the CEO of Bankless Times, Jonathan Merry, which conducted the research. 

He is also quick to point out that, while influencers often receive criticism for taking regular long- and short-haul flights, "the carbon emissions from these trips are eclipsed many times over by those generated from  the thousands of fans sitting at home browsing their newsfeeds and liking their posts."

I’m just as guilty as anyone else for scrolling without truly thinking about the cost to the planet. Scrolling is addictive, and after finding out these stats I’m embarrassed to admit that I could easily spend an hour scrolling without even realizing how much time has passed. 

When I get my weekly screentime reports, a large portion of that is due to using social media – but following this research, I'm going to try to be more conscious when it comes to social media and spend time doing more useful, less polluting activities. 

If you promise to be responsible with them, check out the best cameras for Instagram, along with the best cameras for streaming and the best camera phones to shoot on the go.

Instagram's (or more accurately Meta's) latest app is here – Threads, an Instagram app.

On first inspection, it looks like a cleaned-up version of Twitter, but is this the new haven for photographers and creatives to share their content, or just another Twitter clone soon to be filled with the usual vitriolic trolling that makes Twitter such an unpleasant place to be for creatives trying to share personal work?

We have all sat and watched (and quite enjoyed) the slow demise of Twitter since Elon Musk's turbulent takeover. However, the app has been so embroiled in the culture wars that many users fled long before Elon rode into town, and have been looking for a new internet hangout.

Meta's Facebook also doesn't have a sterling reputation for wholesome public discourse, and it has rapidly been abandoned or snubbed by most younger users. However, Meta's other app Instagram has managed to remain its popularity by cloning features from more attractive rivals like Snapchat (stories) and TikTok (reels), and today, Instagram remains the dominant place for creatives to share on.

But now sensing that Twitter's star is fading, Meta has decided to step in and usurp its place. However, it will face some tough competition with apps like Mastodon and Bluesky already growing their userbases over the last several months. But competition regulators be damned, what Threads does have is the ability to leverage its 2.35 billion existing Instagram users who will find the move to Threads almost seamless.

How to join Threads

Threads is now available on the App Store on iPhones as well as the Google Play Store for Android devices and is free to download. After a surprise and somewhat messy launch, with a web version of the app going live first at threads.net, the launch of the app for devices was hurried forwards by several hours. But alas it seems to be finally here for everyone.

Setting up your account on Threads if you are an existing Instagram user and are happy to keep your Instagram handle could not be simpler. So long as you are logged into Instagram on the device you are setting up your Threads account on, it is a simple one-touch login. The app will then direct you to import your Instagram username, bio, link, and profile picture with a tap (although you can edit all these except for your username before confirming). 

The final step is just following people, and Threads gives you a list of all the people you already follow on Instagram, you can manually select people, or just follow all (even if they aren't on Threads yet). And it is that simple, you are set up and ready to Thread.

Is Threads any good for photos and video?

In comparison to an app like Instagram, then what Threads offers doesn't really compete, as like Twitter, it is much more focused on generating conversations on current topics than a place to admire artistic work. However, when you look at Threads next to Twitter, then Threads has raised the bar with higher limits across the board on sharing content. 

What does Thread offer? Threads are limited to 500 characters instead of Twitter's 280-character limit, so you can add a decent-length description to your content. Videos shared on Threads can be up to five minutes long and don't seem to be limited to specific ratios like they are on Instagram. Threads also shares the same limit of ten images per post as Instagram, although this trumps Twitter's paltry four images per post.

There are currently very limited search features on Threads, and you can't follow hashtags or topics, which severely limits artists' reach. In its current state, Threads does not feel like a place where, as a photographer or creator without a significant following already, you would get your work seen amongst all the noise from more lucrative and popular Threaders. This is an issue that Instagram users have complained about for years as the feed became more algorithmic in what it showed audiences.

With many photographers currently running two Instagram accounts, one for personal and one showing their work, Threads does now offer a way to transition that personal account onto Threads, letting you augment your work with your personality and endearing people to your personal brand. Providing your Threads profile can be found that is.

Threads: Other day one thoughts

Threads feels like an unfinished app, and with the speed that Meta seemed to rush this out, it might well be. But the interface works faultlessly in my brief testing, and it has a clean and simple design that regular Instagram users will feel at home with right away. 

The main feed though is where it already gets classically Meta, and might be the app's undoing. Despite following a number of people who have made several posts or "rethreaded" (or whatever we are calling a repost), my main feed is just jam-packed with brands and influencers, despite me not following any of them. Although apparently, this is "on the list" to be rectified. 

The brands and influencers are also so far off my interests (which Meta should have well mapped out from my years of Instagram use) that I wonder how Threads is even deciding what is shown. This might change quickly as more people join the platform, but in its current state, it is not clear why I would subject myself to a feed of corporate messaging. 

There is also no direct messaging in the app, which also feels like an oversight. As a photographer, if someone liked my work and wanted to work with me, there is no easy and private way to directly get in touch. Instagram has a great messaging system, so I am surprised it was not integrated directly into the Threads app. 

Threads is off to a good start, but there is clearly a lot of work to do to make it a home for photographers and creatives to share their work in a meaningful and impactful way. Will it actually be successful, who knows at this stage, and it all depends on how Meta both moderates it, and monetizes it. But at least, for now, we are all getting some good memes out of it.

• 20 famous photographers you should follow on Instagram
• The best cameras for Instagram
• How to use Instagram for photography… all your questions answered
• The rise of spam on Instagram (and how I fight against it)
• 10 tips for Instagram success with your photography
• This is why I stopped posting on Instagram

Do you remember the days before Instagram, TikTok, and even Facebook? One of the biggest revolutions in the photographic industry came in the form of a social media asteroid wiping out traditional image sharing and production.

According to new research from photo printing chain Max Spielmann, over 90% of daily photos are now captured with smartphones as opposed to professional or even film cameras. In fact, only 7.5% are taken on 'proper' cameras. But how exactly has social media evolved (or hindered) the progression of photography?

• If you're not using a camera, make sure you get one of the best camera phones

Max Spielmann, also known as Max Photo, offers photo printing services in the UK – and is on a mission to determine the impact that social media has had on the wider photographic industry.

We're pretty divided when it comes to social media at Digital Camera World. As photographers we understand the benefits of image-sharing online, but we're sick of Instagram glitches and the constant algorithm changes. Some of us feel that Instagram is the worst thing to ever happen to photography, whereas others feel that it's a great way to find work opportunities. 

It's not all about Instagram, though, and other apps such as TikTok are aiming to replace still images with a preference for video content instead. And then there's BeReal, the Instagram rival encouraging more honest daily snaps with no filters. Compiling its results into a handy infographic, Max Spielmann has kindly shared its social media findings with us – and the data is surprising, yet not completely unexpected. 

It's amazing to think just how many images are captured per second (54,400, according to the research), as well as Clarendon being the world's most used filter, and not forgetting the surprising rise in disposable camera sales despite their eco-unfriendly nature that companies are trying to replace with digital-film hybrids. 

What didn't shock us, however, is that up to 82% of those aged between 18 and 34 have taken a selfie, and 44% of those aged 55+ engage in the activity as well. Selfie-taking might be considered a generational thing invented by teens, but it's also one of the most simple and easiest methods of photography that anyone of any age can now do, using pretty much any type of camera, even instant ones. 

The invention of the selfie stick itself is proof enough that photography as we know it is an enormously smartphone-based practice now, at least for everyday images as opposed to professional work. 

Other interesting stats around the use of smartphones and social media in relation to photography has been gathered by Photutorial, which found that by the year 2025, more than 2 trillion photos will be taken each year! And did you know that 12.4 trillion photos have been taken throughout history? By 2030, Photutorial calculates that this number will increase to 28.6 trillion.

Interestingly, data research has also found that in 2023 the average person has around 2,100 photos stored on their smartphone. How many do you have? Let us know if you found these statistics interesting. 

You might also be interested in the best camera phones for video recording and vlogging, or if you're serious about your smartphone shooting consider investing in some of the best lenses for iPhone and Android camera phones. 

TikTok has been the instigator of several product crazes that have sent people into a buying frenzy. The hashtag #TikTokmademebuyit doesn’t exist for no reason; it’s a genuine phenomenon and can work on anything from a sunset lamp (a great divide for photoshoots), to skincare products and even kitchen gadgets. 

Perhaps the most expensive and in-demand product to be affected by TikTokers' sheep mentality, though, is the Fujifilm X100V.

• Want to join the influence train? These are the best cameras for TikTok

If you’ve ever tried to get your hands on this popular, fixed-lens APS-C camera you’ll understand just how patient you have to be. Ever since it was released back in February 2020, those wanting one have had to wait months for them to come in stock. Even now, three years on, you can’t go into a shop and pick one up because Fujifilm is still struggling to keep up with orders.

Since the X100V is now three years old, there has been speculation that it might have been discontinued ahead of a new release in the X100 lineup. While we can’t say whether or not we’ll see the sixth edition of the X100 any time soon, we can confirm that they’re still very much in production and orders are not slowing down. 

A spokesperson for Fujifilm told us that even if everyone stopped ordering one now, it would still take six months to fulfill the backlog – now if that’s not a successful camera, we don’t know what is!

One of the reasons for the more recent spike in sales is due to the camera's social media popularity. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #X100V has had more than 81 million views and several TikTok stars including itchban (60K followers), will.mov (95K followers) and hectorgess (89K followers) have labeled it as “one of the best cameras” they’ve ever used. 

With so many stellar reviews from big-time content creators, it’s become somewhat of a fashion accessory – but some people haven’t been cast under its spell. While many of the comments on videos where people use or review the X100V are to do with how amazing it is and how much they want one, there are a few people who suggest there is “too much hype” around it, considering when it was released and how much it costs. 

Personally we think its price point is justified, for such a compact camera it really packs a punch and for a content creator on the move, it really does tick all the boxes with its 26MP sensor, 11fps continuous shooting, 4K 30P video and 17 film simulation modes. 

This isn’t the first time a camera has become popular thanks to social media. We recently saw the price of the original X100V skyrocket again, all thanks to TikTok, and the Panasonic GH5 saw a huge surge in popularity when YouTubers like Casey Neistat started using it. 

While the wait on the X100V might be frustrating, and you may have found yourself asking the question “Why can’t Fuji just make them faster?”, the answer simply comes down to parts supply and demand. If you’re still after one, and hoping to get it this side of 2024, you'd better get your order in soon, because who knows how long you might be waiting.

Check out the best Fujifilm cameras for alternatives to the X100V – and don't forget These are the best Fujifilm lenses including a range of super-sharp primes, useful zooms and stunning wide-angles perfect for landscapes.

There is a trend going across the popular video social media platform TikTok that shows photographers, calling themselves "street photographers" wandering the streets and asking people on the streets for a picture, resulting in taking their portraits on the street.

This is NOT street photography, I'm sure Henri Cartier-Bresson is turning in his grave when he hears these trendy photographers calling themselves street photographers when indeed they are portrait photographers taking images on the street.

It might sound the same, but I can assure you it really isn't and someone needs to tell them the basis of the trend is flawed!

While TikTok user iamjeanblack seems like a friendly fellow and was very polite and did take some nice images of the man he stopped, this is not pure street photography capturing candid moments on the street of unexpecting people. 

This is all intent and purpose, it's a photo shoot or a portrait session in a park... NOT street photography. But it doesn't stop there, hundred of TikTok users are now calling themselves Street Photographers and using the basis of this trend to take photos out in public.

While I love the idea of more people picking up a camera and getting into photography, I'd like them to understand street photography first and then decide that while it's not street photography, they are taking great portraits and are therefore portrait photographers.

Again, amazing photos from ryukstyles, and having the portable printer with him is a nice touch.... But it's not street photography, where are the dramatic scenes, candid moments within a slit-second of life - this just isn't street photography.

While I sound like a boring old fart going on about how this isn't that and why are they calling it this, in anything, there is a process, a process of learning, striving to be the best in your field and this trend just feels like a gimmick, a gimmick and a punch in the gut to the great street photographer that have been and gone, and to the great that have worked their craft for years.

I am sure this trend will continue, because who wouldn't follow the crowd to get views, but I just think it is very weird and really does not sit well with me that people and photographers think this is street photography - for the fiftieth time - It's NOT street photography.

• The best lens for street photography
• Best books on street photography
• 14 essential street photography tips
• Best camera for street photography

In a heartwarming turn of events, an 23-year-old photographer from San Diego, California, found herself in a real-life fairytale after her $3,700 camera got accidentally given to a Goodwill store, and sold for $70.

Kelsie Lee's story captured the attention of millions on TikTok, leading to a chain of events that ultimately resulted in the recovery of her beloved camera, a Canon EOS R6. Let's delve into the extraordinary journey that unfolded, highlighting the power of social media and the kindness of strangers.

Kelsie Lee, a passionate photographer, had recently purchased a Canon R6 camera worth $3,700. While visiting her family in Arizona, she accidentally left her camera in her mom's car, and was then unknowingly donated to Goodwill. 

Devastated, Kelsie quickly realized the gravity of the situation when she discovered her camera was sold for a mere $70. The loss became even more poignant as it contained an SD card brimming with precious memories of family trips and captured moments.

Determined to recover her camera, Kelsie turned to TikTok, pouring her heart out in a plea for help. In her emotional video, she shared her story and offered a $500 reward for anyone who could assist in finding her lost camera. 

Within minutes, the TikTok community rallied behind her, demonstrating their unwavering support and solidarity. Photographers and videographers from around the world empathized with her plight and expressed their desire to help.

As Kelsie's video gained momentum, it caught the attention of a local news channel, ultimately leading to a serendipitous reunion. A couple who had purchased the camera at Goodwill saw the news segment and realized they were the ones in possession of Kelsie's cherished device. 

The couple, who happened to be amateur photographers themselves, went above and beyond by driving all the way from Prescott, Arizona, to return the camera. Their selfless act of kindness touched Kelsie deeply, and she was overwhelmed by their generosity

Inspired by the couple's compassion, Kelsie took to TikTok once again to express her gratitude and seek help for the kind-hearted individuals who had unknowingly purchased her camera. 

She tagged Canon USA in her video, hoping they could assist the couple in obtaining a camera they could afford. Canon responded swiftly, offering a new camera as a gift to the couple, highlighting the incredible capacity for goodwill that can arise from social media platforms.

Kelsie's incredible journey taught her the profound impact social media can have when used for good. It demonstrated the ability of strangers to come together, offering support and assistance in times of need.

Furthermore, her experience exemplified the importance of paying attention and being open to the positive possibilities that can arise from unlikely circumstances.

Kelsie Lee's accidental camera donation transformed into a remarkable tale of compassion, unity, and the resilience of the human spirit. Through the power of TikTok, the kindness of strangers, and the generosity of Canon, she not only recovered her camera but also witnessed the uplifting nature of social media. This heartwarming story serves as a reminder that remarkable things can happen when we reach out for help and allow the goodness in people to shine through.

A former employee of ByteDance, developers of TikTok, is suing the company for wrongful termination after being let go in November 2018. Yintao “Roger” Yu is a former engineer for the Chinese internet company and in the new lawsuit, he has made claims that the Chinese Communist Party is able to access international and US data through a “backdoor channel code” in TikTok. 

There has always been some concern about how safe your data is on TikTok and whether it can be accessed by the Chinese government. In March 2023, President Biden banned TikTok on all government devices in the US amidst growing concern it could lead to security breaches. In the weeks that followed, Canada, the UK, and Norway were among the countries that also banned the video-sharing platform from government devices.

• Check out the best cameras for TikTok and browse a range of camera phones, mirrorless cameras and action cameras 

Mr Yu claims he was fired from his job at ByteDance for his “observation and reporting of illegal conduct.” That included reporting ByteDance was a “useful propaganda tool for the Chinese government.” He also suggested that ByteDance regularly engaged in a “culture of lawlessness” and that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had its own office where it would access all company data, even that stored in the US. 

Referred to as “The Committee,” those engaged with the CCP were able to access data from anywhere in the world thanks to a “backdoor channel in the code” according to Mr Yu. With this access, they could monitor business activity, demote certain content and use a switch to turn off Chinese versions of its apps which include Musical.ly, Babe, and Lark. 

A spokesperson for ByteDance told The New York Times, “We plan to vigorously oppose what we believe are baseless claims and allegations in this complaint.” He continued, "Mr Yu worked for ByteDance Inc. for less than a year and his employment ended in July 2018. During his brief time at the company, he worked on an app called Flipagram, which was discontinued years ago for business reasons.” 

Although TikTok continues to assure users it does not store or access data, Mr. Yu will no doubt create further worry around TikTok security breaches. More than 150 million US citizens, and 834 million worldwide, use the video-sharing platform for both personal and business which means if TikTok was banned entirely there would be a lot of disgruntled fans – and many losing an income stream. 

You might find the best mini tripods or the best selfie sticks to be a great addition to your setup.

Over the last few weeks, there has been a growing trend on Instagram of people sharing reels in the style of Wes Anderson. Known for his eccentric style, monochromatic color schemes and consistent use of symmetry, these cinematic reels add a whole new dimension to content creation.

Anderson's style is a bit love-it-or-hate-it. Many of his films, such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Darjeeling Limited, contain themes of dysfunctional families, love, loss, grief and adventure, but it's his cinematic choices that really make him stand out. And his quirky symmetrical compositions, complementary color palettes and eccentric characters performing everyday actions have all influenced this new style of Instagram Reel. 

• These are the best cameras for Instagram – perfect for shooting photos and videos on the move

Instagrammer and TikToker @avawillyums was one of the first people to start the trend, as she documented her journey from East Shoreline to Grand Central Station in the US. 

Shortly after, several other creators picked up on the trend, including Quyen Mike (aka @qmike) who made the short film The British Dispatch. Set in a launderette, a fish and chip shop and various other bright, colorful places, Mike has been praised by Instagram users for his creativity with many describing it as the best Wes Anderson-style short film yet. 

Even bigger brands, such as Uber Eats, have jumped on the trend – although its video is admittedly a little dull in comparison to others. Despite having a dedicated team of content creators, the video has all the elements but somehow they don't gel quite as well as Mike's take on the trend. 

Most of the reels start with the title "You better not be acting like you're in a Wes Anderson film" before obviously acting exactly like they are in a Wes Anderson film – even down to having title sequences typed out with locations and dates. 

As far as Instagram trends go, this is one I am here for. I personally love the Anderson aesthetic, I love the photobook Accidentally Wes Anderson and I have enjoyed seeing how AI creator Panorama Channel has used Midjourney to generate images reimagining what the Harry Potter films would look like if directed by Wes Anderson. 

The Wes Anderson hype is real, and I think it might be due to the fact it adds just that little more beauty to everyday life. It creates something magical out of the mundane and turns what could be a boring Reel into something engaging, eccentric and alluring. In fact, I like this trend so much that I might even give it a go… watch this space. 

Check out the best cameras for TikTok or discover the best mini tripods that will help you shoot hands-free content.

Steady on Timmy! Timothée Chalamet, the 27-year-old Hollywood heartthrob, made has made the headlines after he was caught colliding with a camera on set while shooting a Chanel Bleu fragrance commercial in New York City. 

The incident, which was captured on video by TikTok user @mickmicknyc, quickly went viral, with fans even speculating about the cause of the collision. To me, it looks like the jib was meant to be propelled backward into a wide shot, but it seems it instead bolted forward into Chalamet - ouch!

In the video, Chalamet can be seen walking out of a building with actress Stephanie Kurtzuba, before the accident occurs. As the two stars make their way toward the camera, Chalamet collides with the camera, causing a piece to break off, resembling half of a matte box.

You can see the full video below that already has over 2.5 million likes, river 10 thousand comments, and has been shared nearly 20 thousand times - so it's safe to say it's gone viral.

Despite the unexpected collision, Timothée Chalamet appeared to remain calm and collected, smiling as he picked up the broken piece of the camera. In the video, Kurtzuba can be heard apologizing and rubbing Chalamet's back, leading some viewers to speculate that she may have pushed him - allegedly.  

The incident quickly sparked a frenzy on social media, with fans debating the cause of the collision and expressing their concern for Chalamet's well-being. Some viewers suggested that the camera had "ejected towards him," while others speculated that Kurtzuba may have accidentally bumped into him.

Despite the drama, Chalamet seemed unfazed by the incident, calmly reassuring Kurtzuba that "It's all good." The star's nonchalant response apparently has only added to his mystique and charm, with fans praising him for his composure in the face of unexpected adversity. Chalamet's filmography credits include critically-acclaimed films such Dune, Little Women, The King and The French Dispatch.

If this has been interesting and you want to avoid the incident above you might want to check out our best walkie-talkie guide, so you can make sure a camera isn't going to hit your talent, or why not check out the best cinema cameras on the market, and while your there check out our best wireless follow focus units, to give you ultimate control of our lens.

There are some things you shouldn't post on the internet – and as a member of law enforcement, an innocent person's driver's license definitely makes the list. A Dallas cop is now being sued after sharing a TikTok live stream of himself conducting a traffic stop on a driver (who was not speeding) simply for entertainment purposes. 

Hundreds of viewers online were exposed to the driver, Torry Osby's, personal information that was being broadcast live, including his license number, home address, and place of birth. Using this information, one TikTok viewer was able to track Osby down and inform him of what the deputy sheriff had done.

• Protect yourself with one of these best dash cams – and always have proof of any road accidents or unlawful traffic stops

The driver from Tarrant County, Texas, was unfairly Tik-doxxed by a local sheriff's deputy on March 02 2021, when officer Francisco Castillo (CycoCisco on TikTok) live-streamed himself performing a traffic stop. He pulled over the unsuspecting driver while performing a license check for no apparent reason, other than to entertain the hundred-plus online viewers that were watching at the time. 

Talk about an abuse of power! Luckily for this driver, having his details exposed to hundreds of potentially dangerous people on the social media clock app without his knowledge or consent kinda worked in his favor. One well-intentioned viewer was able to track down and inform Osby of this incident, leading to the current privacy violation lawsuit that has been filed by Osby and his lawyers against Castillo and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. 

According to a report by NBC 5, a total of 109 people were watching the TikTok live stream at the time that Mr. Osby was pulled over, with his driver's license and personal details fully visible for all to see. And this was not the first time that the deputy had posted videos to the app while on duty, earning him plenty of views and likes, which have since been taken down or hidden by the officer.  

"[Castillo] pulled him over, not because of a traffic violation, but because he wanted to live stream this on to TikTok to get followers or views and likes," said James Roberts, a civil rights attorney representing Osby.

"When you're doing it for personal gain, I think at that point you're abusing the privileges and the power you have as a government official." He also assured that Osby claimed to have set his cruise control below the speed limit to avoid any incidents, therefore should not have been pulled over.  

Lawsuit documentation shared by NBC 5 also reveals that an internal affairs investigation has ensued – and Osby had received an email from the sheriff’s office stating that Castillo had been suspended for two days for violating the agency's social media policy chapter 3.4. Osby has requested monetary compensation as well as a jury trial, according to the lawsuit.

An invasion of privacy on this scale should surely have larger consequences than a few days of unpaid suspension, and any other profession would likely result in a firing. Should this deputy sheriff get his 17K follower TikTok account shut down? Let us know what you think!

• You might also be interested in the Best budget dash cams, best Uber dash cams, best front and rear dash cams, as well as the best cameras for cyclists to keep yourself safe when out on the roads. 

• Take a look at Amazon's new Ring Car Cam for a luxury dash cam and car security experience, as well as our picks of the best speed camera detectors.

President Biden is banning TikTok but only on government-issued devices. Amidst security fears, the Biden administration is giving federal employees 30 days to remove the popular video-sharing platform from their devices in hopes it will stop any security breaches.

Plans to ban TikTok from government-issued devices began in December 2022 when Senate passed the bipartisan bill unanimously. Growing concerns from FBI Director Chris Wray suggested that the Chinese government could use TikTok to “influence operations” and compromise millions of devices although the Chinese government deem the move “insecure”

• These are the best camera for TikTok 

TikToK (also known as Douyin in China) is owned by the Chinese company, ByteDance and enables users to view and share short videos between 3 seconds and 10 minutes long. Launched in 2016, TikTok has continued to grow in popularity and in 2021 it became the most downloaded app beating Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (plus many more) with a staggering 656 million downloads.

Although this ban on TikTok only affects government-issued devices, there has been talk of banning TikTok from the US entirely. Following the bill passed in December 2022, Republican Senator Marco Rubio hopes to take things one step further as he filed a bipartisan bill to bank the app entirely due to worries it could be used to spy on Americans. 

The US is by no means the first country to ban TikTok and other social media plaofrms from government-issue devices. In 2020 following a geopolitical dispute with China, India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese-owned apps and in February 2023, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also shared plans to remove the app from government devices.

Banning TikTok from government-issued phones doesn’t feel like a particularly bold move but not banning all social-media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feels targeted. While groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation have suggested China could use TikTok as a way of accessing user data, other apps and services share this same concern so why aren't they being banned from government devices too?

Want to discover more great cameras for social media content creation? Check out the best cameras for vlogging or the best cameras for Instagram and start creating!

In an attempt to make Instagram about content creation once more, the company will remove the shopping tab from the bottom toolbar. Come February, businesses will still be able to sell products through the platform but Instagram wants to invest in “shopping experiences that provide the most value for people”.

The Instagram rollercoaster has been full of ups and downs these last few years. From introducing carousel posts and reels then prioritizing them over photos, to trying to be TikTok and even getting censorship wrong, the company has made some pretty big faux pas. Positive change has happened too, though, as Instagram returned to a chronological feed and just recently it announced that it would favor photos and reels equally again. Hooray!

• These are the best cameras for Instagram – easy to use, budget-friendly and WiFi enabled!

Now the company seems to be taking another step 'backward', but for most content creators it's a welcome one. Brands and businesses may not be so hyped to hear that the shopping tab will be removed from the toolbar on the home page, but Instagram isn’t removing the capability to sell entirely – it’s just making the home screen less cluttered. 

Instagram shopping was first introduced in May 2020 as businesses continued to face the challenges of selling online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although launched in an attempt to keep businesses going, and provide an easy way for people to shop, the feature has perhaps not been as big a hit as Meta had hoped. 

Not every single brand that appeared in the shopping tab was able to sell products directly on Instagram, which was a little confusing; while you could purchase some items, others would simply divert you to the official website. It does, however, bring together lots of products based on your likes, searches and accounts followed, so you can find some really ‘you’ products and brands that you may not have discovered otherwise. 

Sometimes you need to take two steps forward and one step back to realize what is important, and it seems like Instagram has been doing just that. There has been a huge demand to make Instagram a content creation platform again – there was even a 'Make Instagram, Instagram Campaign' started by @illumitati, who was fed up with photo posts not being seen and engagement continually dropping. 

As a photographer and a small business owner selling handmade polymer clay earrings, I really can understand the advantages and disadvantages to both sides – but at the end of the day, if you want to sell products you can use platforms like Etsy. Instagram should continue to be primarily a photo-sharing platform but, if you can easily buy stuff without it taking over, then that’s great too. 

Learn  how to use Instagram reels and add multiple images in your Instagram story or discover the best camera phones - perfect for Instagram!

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is based in China. And along with Russia and several other foreign regions it is being called a "country of concern" by the office of US Senator Marco Rubio, in a recent press release detailing bipartisan legislation that is aiming to ban TikTok from operations in the United States. 

This ban has already been implemented in states such as Maryland and South Dakota, to address cybersecurity risks presented by certain China and Russia-based platforms amid fears of cyber-espionage, government surveillance, and sensitive and personal data collection.

• Check out the best cameras for TikTok

TikTok is a world-leading video-based social media platform that has captured the attention of a large portion of the population, thanks to its use by businesses, celebrities and the younger generations. As such, the US government, lawmakers, and even the FBI appear to have concerns over the app being parented by a Chinese-based company, as it could provide a cybersecurity breach. 

Concerns of TikTok being used "to spy on Americans" might sound a bit silly and farfetched. However, the recent statement from Rubio put forward the fact that ByteDance is "required by Chinese law to make the app’s data available to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)". 

The Floridian Senator has, in an attempt to prevent potential data breaches, introduced a bipartisan (political two-party) legislation to ban TikTok from operating in the United States. 

"The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok," insists Rubio. "This isn’t about creative videos – this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. 

"We know it's used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People's Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good."

We recently reported on why the UK Government is banning Chinese security cameras. The reasons are similar to the US war on TikTok, involving Chinese companies and manufacturers being required by their national laws to report back and share any acquired data with their government. Maybe this isn't just paranoia or modern techphobia after all?

US Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi have introduced companion legislation, and sponsored a bill in the US House of Representatives that support Senator Rubio. Only last month, FBI director Christopher Wray shared his extreme concerns with Congress over TikTok posing a national security threat,

The ban on TikTok in South Dakota has taken effect immediately and, according to the executive order that was issued by Governor Kristi Noem, blocks the use of the TikTok app or visiting the website on state-owned or -leased electronic devices, as reported by USA Today.

The potential spyware app, TikTok, is said to be offering the CCP an easy and unique ability to monitor more than a billion users worldwide, as well as nearly two-thirds of American teenagers, according to The Washington Post. 

The conspiracy doesn't end there, as Forbes uncovered through data on LinkedIn profiles that 23 of ByteDance's directors have been previously involved with and worked for CCP and Chinese State Media outlets that serve propaganda, and 300 TikTok and ByteDance employees used to work for them, with at least 15 employees confirmed to still work for the CCP today.

Do we now need to be cautious of everything that says "made in China"? Or is this just a media moral panic that's gone a little overboard? 

• You may also be interested in the best TikTok filters and effects, as well as the best TikTok lights for creative videos, and not forgetting these 8 tips for using TikTok to promote your photography.

If you’re on Instagram, it's very likely that you’ve already heard of Lensa. In the last few days, the app has become a viral sensation, with thousands of people downloading and generating their own personal magic avatars. Lensa currently sits at the number one spot in both the Apple and Android app charts, ahead of TikTok, Tesco, and CapCut. 

Like most AI-powered tools, there is some controversy surrounding Lensa, but that hasn’t stopped people from letting curiosity get the better of them. Lensa makes it so easy and cheap to generate your AI avatars; all you need to do is upload 15-20 photos of yourself then give the app 15-20 minutes to let it work its magic. 

When you next open the app, all your generated avatars will be stored in the Magic Avatars section reading for you to view. You can also save your favorite avatars either in standard resolution or in 4K.

It’s quite overwhelming seeing so many different versions of yourself – some flawless and some the stuff of nightmares. All avatars are created as squares and there are lots of different styles to choose from, including cosmic, fantasy, fairy princess, anime, and iridescent. But as fun as Lensa is, there is a dark side to it, and unsurprisingly, a lot of controversy surrounding it.

One of the issues people have with Lensa’s Magic Avatars tool is that it learns the various styles using real-life artists' work who are not credited and don’t make any money from it. There is concern that as Lensa is so cheap to use, it could take jobs away from artists and illustrators who create digital art for a living. 

By signing up for a week's free trial of the Lensa app (just remember to cancel otherwise you’ll be charged £36.99 for the year), you can generate your magic avatars for half price – 50 will cost you £1.79, 100 will cost you £2.49 or 200 will cost £3.49 – hardly breaking the bank. 

Whether or not you agree with using Lensa, there’s no denying that what it creates is amazing and terrifying in equal doses. To be able to generate 200 versions of yourself for less than the price of a Meal Deal at a touch of a button is a testament to how clever AI systems are. But it also begs the question, will it ever be good enough to replace real art? Now that’s a debate for an opinion piece…

Lensa isn't necessarily the first AI generator, and my colleague recently tried a similar thing with the MyHeritage AI image generator. Scroll down to see some good examples and bad examples of my Lensa AI Magic Avatars...

Check out the best camera phone and the best budget camera phones for creating your Lensa avatars on.

It doesn’t feel like it’s been more than 20 years since the first camera phone launched. In just two decades, camera phones have become so good, people have stopped buying compact cameras as much, entire feature-length films have been shot on the latest iPhones, and most come with portrait, wind-angle, and even macro modes. 

When camera phones were first released, nobody really knew if they would take off. They were expensive to buy, it was expensive to send pictures and your friends could only view the images if they had a similar phone. There was concern that unlike the texting trend which people took to instantly, sending picture messages might be less of a concern... 22 years later and evidently, that is not the case. 

From the latest and greatest iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to more budget phones such as the Honor 50, phones today would be nothing without their cameras. Smartphones are intrinsic to the way we navigate the modern world and since those first early models, we have seen them improve in almost every aspect from the quality of photos to the level of control you have over an image. 

Camera phones aren't just great for taking photos and videos of your day-to-day life, many businesses now rely on camera phones to capture content quickly for social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. With secondhand clothes apps like Vinted and Depop increasing in popularity, taking photos on your phone is the fastest way to upload them and start making money. 

During covid, people without camera phones were a little left behind as QR codes became the new way to order, look at menus, and of course, record your check-ins. To own a phone without a camera is to put yourself at a disadvantage in many ways.

So where did camera phones begin? A dig into the BBC YouTube archives brings us a report showing the first reactions to phones capable of taking photos. It's strange to look back at recent history – and yet see a world that was so very different from our current reality, where smartphone cameras are big business, having taken over from the compact camera market.

When camera phones first existed, they had hardly any memory, the picture quality was poor and transferring photos from one device to another wasn't straightforward. You either had to pay for an MMS message or spend ages trying to send it via infrared with the phones positioned next to each other. 

The first ever camera phone to exist was manufactured by Samsung in 2000.  The SCH-V200 could only take 20, 0.35-megapixel photos and you had to connect it to a computer to access them but the technology was revolutionary. Two years later, camera phones arrived in the US in the form of the Sanyo SCP-5300. At $400 it certainly wasn’t cheap, even in today’s economic climate but it did have a flash function, self-timer and even white balance control.

Six years into the craze, Sony Ericcson changed the camera phone game with the K800i - a 3.2MP Sony cyber-shot branded camera phone that actually took pretty good pictures. Released in 2006, I was just 12 years old when it came out but I remember it like it was yesterday. My Dad went out and bought one not long after its release and after having a play on it I was hankering for one too. I loved the lens cover you could slide across to activate the camera and the picture quality was impressive for such a small phone. 

These days camera phones are in a league of their own compared to where they started. Phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra feature a 108MP camera while the iPhone 14 offers cinematic anamorphic video modes, various different lenses and incredibly smooth stabilization. Over the last 22 years, modern smartphones have made compact cameras almost obsolete – a feat that at the start of the millennium, no one could've imagined. 

With the best iPhones for photography, you can capture high-quality photos wherever you are.

DaVinci Resolve is a free editing and post-production tool from the video experts at Blackmagic. Favored for its comprehensive set of color grading tools and non-linear editing style, a major new update means it now also supports editing in vertical resolutions for TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. 

Content creation is key for any business, and camera phones have massively changed the way we consume information. Because of this, the way we record and edit content needs to change, too – which is why the latest update to DaVinci Resolve ensures users will be easily able to edit videos, regardless of the platform they’re destined for. 

• These are the best cameras for vlogging

The update includes automatic locking of individual timelines within bins for multi-user collaborations, perfect for when multiple people within a company are working on the same content. This latest update also adds DaVinci Neural Engine, an AI  dialogue leveler and AI voice isolation tool that enables the user to remove background noise more easily. 

When using DaVinci Resolve with the Blackmagic ATEM Mini, editors will now find they have a faster, smoother editing experience thanks to the new update. Audio is now attached to video clips, which makes imported projects easier to edit, and the speed editor functionality has been added to the edit page, enabling the user to adjust Multicam switching, audio levels and trim in / outs. Customers will now be able to adjust individual settings for things like subtitles and captions including font, size, style and color. 

For those who use Blackmagic Fusion, there has been added support for magic masking – which uses the DaVinci Neural Engine to detect animals, vehicles, people and objects by tracking their movement. Customers can also search for keywords and categories for more than 200 tools, which will help improve edit flow. 

"This is a major update with new added support for social media vertical resolutions," said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. "Now, customers can work quickly and easily to create video posts for sites such as TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook shorts, Instagram TV and more." 

With more updates like this catering not just to professionals, but to anyone who prefers to edit videos for social media on a computer, Blackmagic Studio is making its products more desirable. The rise of vertical video has been on the up since TikTok first became massive, and with platforms like Instagram following suit with Reels it’s now unavoidable. 

Editing videos on your phone might be more convenient, but editing vertical videos on your computer will unlock a level of creativity that you just can’t access from a phone. 

Check out the best video editing software or discover learn how to give your footage a cinematic feel