Facebook's TikTok rip-off launches new privacy concerns this August

August in the U.S. is a time for BBQs, swimming pools, social distancing, and, if Mark Zuckerberg has his way, the further entwining of your digital self into the data-hungry arms of Facebook's ever-expanding grasp. 

The advertising giant confirmed Thursday its plan to launch Reels, a competitor to the looping video app TikTok, in the U.S. next month. Notably, Reels will not be a standalone app à la Byte. Instead, it will be a part of Facebook-owned Instagram — think Stories, in the same way that Facebook stole that idea from Snapchat. 

"We're excited to bring Reels to more countries, including the US, in early August," a Facebook spokesperson said over email. "The community in our test countries has shown so much creativity in short-form video, and we've heard from creators and people around the world that they're eager to get started as well." Read more...