TikTok plans to compete with Instagram by launching a new photo-sharing app.
In a tweet posted last week, the social network said that it is in the early stages of testing TikTok Notes, a platform for photo and text content. The app is currently available for a limited time on Android and iOS in Canada and Australia.
The company had already announced the new app earlier this month in a notification to users. At the time, it said the platform would be filled with users’ existing and future TikTok public photo posts and would allow users to opt out.
The app’s homepage is separated into five sections: home, search, uploads, notifications, and profiles. The home section is organized similarly to Pinterest’s, but with a smaller two-column grid that displays users’ posts as well as content recommendations. People can also view their content, favourite posts and photos they have liked in their profile section.

Unlike Instagram, TikTok Notes allows users to add text to posts uploaded to their profile, as well as write headlines for photos above the captions. They can also upload up to 14 photos per post, which is more than Instagram allows (10 photos).
TikTok is testing the app while it is under the spotlight in the United States. In March, the House of Representatives passed a bill that gave ByteDance six months to sell its assets or be banned in that country. The bill still needs to pass the senate before being signed by President Biden.
The social network has also been experiencing problems in Canada. Four Ontario school boards sued the social network earlier this month, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat, due to the platforms’ alleged detrimental impact on youth. The boards are seeking $4.5 billion in damages from the social media giants, accusing them of disrupting student learning and the education system.