Have you ever wanted to feel like you’re part of an exclusive club that pays to watch a creator’s TikTok videos? That day may arrive sooner than you thought.
In a new report from The Information, via The Verge, TikTok is reportedly working on giving creators the ability to put their content behind a paywall. The feature, which is currently in development, would allow creators to put certain content behind a paywall for paying subscribers.
Among the features in the works is a paywall, allowing creators to set a price on their content. Viewers would pay $1 — or some other fee chosen by the creator — to watch videos, according to the report.
It’s unclear if it is a pay-per-view or subscription model, but it is likely to be a subscription model since that would enable renewal revenue for creators and TikTok alike. TikTok is certainly not the first social media network to create such a business model. Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube all have similar models where a creator can put select access and content behind a paywall for followers to subscribe to.
In addition to the paywall feature, the company is reportedly working to revamp its Creator Fund. Currently, all creators work to get paid from a set pool of money, limiting how much all creators can make. However, that model has come under intense pressure from YouTube, which announced a revenue split with creators for Shorts, its TikTok competitor.
According to the report, TikTok is looking to create a new fund that pays creators more and also raises the bar for being eligible for the fund. Zachary Kizer, a spokesperson for TikTok, said that the company is “exploring new ways to create a valuable and rewarding experience” for creators on the platform.
“We’re committed to exploring new ways to create a valuable and rewarding experience for the TikTok creator community. On TikTok, anyone can be a creator and everyone can enjoy entertainment from our inspiring creators, and we aim to continue innovating this experience so people can express themselves, find their community, and be rewarded for their creativity.”
The news comes as TikTok faces increased scrutiny in the United States over national security concerns. The app has already been banned across many state and federal government devices and recently faced calls to be banned from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.
