A TikTok alternative called Loops is coming for the fediverse | Users own their content, and Loops doesn’t sell or provide videos to third-party advertisers or train AI on them. It will be open source

submitted by ForgottenFlux

www.theverge.com/2024/10/26/24280075/fediverse-…

Signups opened this week for Loops, a short-form looping video app from the creator of Instagram alternative Pixelfed, reports TechCrunch.

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73 Comments

archchan

I really hope this gets a proper foss "for you" algo. Personalized content and people discovery features are lacking on the fediverse.

LukácsFan1917

This is entirely possible through Mastodon/Misskey apps but not having it bound to local data would be awesome. Predictive engines are something most people want an ethical alternative for.

originalucifer

so far it seems like an over-marketed unfinished piece of vaporware. there was nothing to look at when it was first dripped months ago. or when the magical countdown stopped. or when no one received beta invites despite it being 'this week'

just seems like a lot of spamming the fed community now. happy to be proven wrong

wander1236

Dan seems to have trouble sticking with a single project. Sometimes it feels like he announces some new thing every week that never gets finished.

randint

Yeah I still remember his fediverse direct messaging platform. Haven't heard about it since he announced it.

Maybe he's just too busy?

cm0002

Yea this was the last email I got...a promise for another email....5 days ago

rigatti

Yeah it would have been enticing to see, you know, an actual video or the interface or at least something other than a logo.

JaggedRobotPubes

Everybody's heads are up their asses about this. It's a great idea for a fediverse thing.

The real issue is nobody can use it because the damn confirmation emails don't get sent.

Pika

yea this is really their biggest thing here, by the time conf emails get sent everyone will lose interest lol

Merlin

I never used tiktok but i was a fan of vine. It would be fun to host an instance

atro_city

I don't really get why people scroll through short-form video, but at least there's an opensource alternative in the works... Will be interesting to see if they allow non-loops users to contribute bandwidth because hosting all of those videos will be expensive af.

catloaf

It's because it gives a nice dopamine hit. Just like a still-image meme but more so because it's video.

FarraigePlaisteach

I like it for language learning. The books gets tedious as hell but some people have excellent short videos to help remember things and hear them pronounced by native speakers.

atro_city

I never really considered there'd be useful content on there.

FarraigePlaisteach

It’s easy block keywords so you don’t get dancing or politics, or at least, you can reduce it. The algorithm is also very good at serving your interests so if someone tells me all they’re seeing is dancing videos then it tells me they’ve been lingering on those for some reason :)

I’ve also found it a great resource for novel and practical info about: - Cooking - ADHD & Autism - Music production with Logic Pro - Human rights news - Creativity

li10 , edited

Can’t see this doing well, who’s gonna want to host it and pay the bandwidth and storage costs?

I know people would be willing to do that for a YT alternative, but I don’t think there’s many people who want to shell out so some kid can post their cringe dance video.

Also, who tf gonna use it? I’d imagine Tik Tok users are the social media group that cares the least about the fediverse, open source, and privacy…

AlexanderESmith

PeerTube already exists, and has basically no usage (because no one is willing to foot the cost)

Aatube

i like cringe dance videos but i think the problem's gonna be the volume

Hadriscus

Also, who tf gonna use it? I’d imagine Tik Tok users are the social media group that cares the least about the fediverse, open source, and privacy…

Perhaps it's one way to change that

Mars2k21

It's just like Peertube. Cool concept in theory, but breaks down once you consider the less fun parts of it (storage volume).

Gonna be really hard to figure out how to make solid Fedi alternatives to image/video-based social media.

Anarki_

Read their privacy policy, yo.

Fuck Yankies

Screw the privacy policy, bruh, read that TOS:

When you post Contributions, you grant us a license (including use of your name, trademarks, and logos): By posting any Contributions, you grant us an unrestricted, unlimited, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free, fully-paid, worldwide right, and license to: use, copy, reproduce, distribute, sell, resell, publish, broadcast, retitle, store, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part), and exploit your Contributions (including, without limitation, your image, name, and voice) for any purpose, commercial, advertising, or otherwise, to prepare derivative works of, or incorporate into other works, your Contributions, and to sublicense the licenses granted in this section. Our use and distribution may occur in any media formats and through any media channels.

In other words, you put any content up there, they can resell it to some movie studio AND make an AI copy of you with no consequences... at least according to their ToS.

EU law however... well, time will tell how fast and violently EU lawyers will inject themselves into the urethra of the service provider.

🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️ , edited

They even contradict themselves in this shit. There's what you quoted, but there is also this bit further up in a previous section:

*We do not assert any ownership over your Contributions. You retain full ownership of all of your Contributions and any intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights associated with your Contributions.* We are not liable for any statements or representations in your Contributions provided by you in any area on the Services. You are solely responsible for your Contributions to the Services and you expressly agree to exonerate us from any and all responsibility and to refrain from any legal action against us regarding your Contributions.

"We can use your shit however we like, but if your shit is illegal, you're the one who'll be responsible; not us."

Hellfire103

Apparently, that's required for the App Store and Google Play. The guy behind it has said he has no intention of taking advantage.

Fuck Yankies

And before you go "it's to avoid liability", fucking duh - it doesn't make it right though.

Matt

Basically, CLA^2

bishbosh

Are you just generally suggesting, or is there something concerning?

fossilesque

Tiktok is the type of social that is meant to redirect people elsewhere, I don't know, I think that this could work with the Fedi. Tiktok doesn't really pay it's creator well AFAIK.

PeriodicallyPedantic

I'm interested, and I hope it's successful.

I'm not sure how they're going to attract creators, when Tiktok already has the same features, has a larger audience, and pays... But I hope they can because I'd love to dump Tiktok for something open source.

I wonder how their FYP will work, because honestly that's a huge part of what makes Tiktok good.

Unknown1234_5 , edited

Sick, that'll get rid of like 60% of my reason to use YouTube (bc I use YouTube shorts, aka Google giggles). Edit: signed up, waiting on my email

dumbass
ExtremeDullard

Have you ever seen a TikTok video? Why on Earth do we want that on the Fediverse? Not everything that exists deserves to be copied.

Maggoty

There are good short form videos. There are also bad ones. No different than long form video.

jawa21

Sure, but why? PeerTube already exists and it isn't like there are length limits.

Maggoty

Because some people prefer the format.

Hadriscus

There is no federation on peertube though, is there ?

jawa21

Yes, there is. You can even follow PeerTube channels from Lemmy.

Hadriscus

wow that's great. Last I checked there was no such thing

PeriodicallyPedantic

Because the constraints make it interesting \ I want the length limits.

dh34d

It's also one of the best ways to advertise as a small content creator. The internet hates self-promotion with a *passion*, but short form videos? People love that shit.

Chozo , edited

Because wanting braindead content that you don't have to think about or form a critical opinion over is a valid request. There's a big reason the Fediverse doesn't see widespread adoption: the content sucks, it's all politics from the farther edges of every end of the spectrum and FOSSbro tech discussion that's about as insufferable as cryptobro subreddits.

If the Fediverse wants to attract more people, then it needs to start expanding into what those other people *actually want*. They don't want to have a furry with a Stalin profile pic explain Linux kernel to them, they want to laugh at inconsequential videos of children falling into things that they can leave a "heart" on and quickly share a link to their friend with.

lambalicious

If the Fediverse wants to attract more people, then it needs to start expanding into what those other people actually want.

I'm okay with more people, but not *those people*. We are here in the Fediverse for some degree of quality, of which furries explaining the Linux kernel is one example of kind.

Chozo

I think you're underestimating who "we" includes when talking about the Fediverse. Normies want a place here, too.

PeriodicallyPedantic

Yeah, the fediverse would be much better place without narcissistic gatekeeps like you here to bring the mood down all the time.

[deleted]

None of you have ever laughed at a TikTok once?

catloaf

I've never been on tiktok so no

ExtremeDullard

Not really. Only shaked my head in disbelief.

PeriodicallyPedantic

Lamest flex in history

[deleted]

Well aren't you cool and aloof

xigoi

Wiser words have never been spoken.

code

Yea my first reaponse is thats something ill never want. Glad theres no ios client

Maggoty

You're glad other people can't access it because you don't like it?

code

I could care less. Tiktok is horrid and useless. People can do as they please

Maggoty

You wrote -

Glad there's no IOS client

That doesn't sound like letting other people do what they want.

Misk

People who care about decentralisation, privacy and data sovereignty etc are usually smart enough to understand that endless feeds of short form video is the new asbestos. You'd have better luck selling big macs to vegans.

blibla , edited

hear me out. The toxicity of social mefia comes from algorithms and advertising. Lots of short videos by the community can be fun/interesting and not addictive/ brain rotting.

endless feeds of short form video is the new asbestos

that's like saying Mastodon is bad because Twitter ruined society, I mean how often do you find yourself raging endlessly at Mastodon.

I would love to have a chill way of scrolling these videos without having to live with one of the evils.

That being said i am also sceptical if this is it, I mean why do they want my email?

Misk

Excellent points 👍

urheber , edited

Theres vegan big macs - Theres no vegan tiktok :'(

Misk

I meant the ones made out of meat 😛

PeriodicallyPedantic

What an absolute neckbeard take

grrgyle

Ok let's hear your take

PeriodicallyPedantic

There are lots of reasons to want alternatives to social media mega-corps, and the people with those reasons have varied likes and hobbies.\ Even amongst the people who care about privacy, decentralization, etc, people still have varied interests. All you have to do is look at the popularity of Tiktok content about privacy, security, programming, etc.

Dude is a basement dweller, and just assumed that was the norm for everyone who shared an interest with him.

I have my own thoughts about hurdles that loops will face, but "fediverse is for snobs" isn't it.

grrgyle , edited

Fair enough, but endless feeds and short form videos are also widely regarded as dangerous to mental wellbeing, so I agree with them on that point.

But I'm more interested in getting people away from the adtech platforms, so also happy to see decentralised alternatives pop up.

The great thing about decentralised social media is I'll always have my anti dark pattern folks in one corner or other.

Misk

Shhh 🤫 grownups are talking.

PeriodicallyPedantic

Where?

RememberTheApollo_

Yep. Agreed - except it is yet another avenue for monetization should it take hold. People keep acting like the fediverse is some kind of incorruptible platform.

pewgar_seemsimandroid

would it have a app?

Krafting

It will be mobile only at first

pewgar_seemsimandroid

app ≠ program

DarkThoughts

It is... App = Application = Program, especially for mobile devices.

pewgar_seemsimandroid

application is a term used for mobile and program is a term used for pc's

DarkThoughts

app - abbreviation for application: a computer program that is designed for a particular purpose

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/app

application - a program (such as a word processor or a spreadsheet) that performs a particular task or set of tasks

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/application

app - An app is a computer program that is written and designed for a specific purpose.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/app

etc. etc.

Twotone

Them editing content too? Wonder how far they'd go with that lol

We may remove or edit your Content: Although we have no obligation to monitor any Contributions, we shall have the right to remove or edit any Contributions at any time without notice if in our reasonable opinion we consider such Contributions harmful or in breach of these Legal Terms. If we remove or edit any such Contributions, we may also suspend or disable your account and report you to the authorities.