Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Photo Credit: Tyler Nix
In spite of ongoing regulatory scrutiny – including high-profile lawsuits levied by Utah and other states – TikTok has inked a partnership deal with Disney.
TikTok and Disney formally announced their tie-up, centering on a variety of “Disney100” media within the short-form app, today. Designed to celebrate the older company’s 100th anniversary, the “first-of-its-kind content hub” is expected to be available to TikTok users in 24 markets for four weeks beginning on Monday the 16th.
According to the involved parties, the in-app offering will incorporate north of 48 Disney TikTok handles as well as brands including but not limited to Pixar, National Geographic, ESPN, Star Wars, and Marvel.
Meanwhile, TikTok’s generally young userbase will have the chance to watch specially made videos, create clips “with Disney music and effects,” play trivia games, and collect “Character Cards” in order “to win unique profile frames,” the entities communicated.
Specifically on the music side – into which TikTok has now expanded with all manner of features, a standalone streaming app, and even an on-platform competition for unsigned acts – TikTok is said to be curating a Disney100 playlist. Said playlist will encompass “some of the most popular hits” from Disney’s catalog, the businesses relayed.
Lastly, in terms of the multifaceted union’s details, Disney is set to become a stateside “TikTok Pulse Premiere publisher,” meaning, according to the ByteDance subsidiary, that advertisers will have the choice of placing ads adjacent to the entertainment company’s content on users’ For You feeds.
As initially mentioned, the Disney agreement has arrived as the highly controversial TikTok is grappling with scrutiny from lawmakers and government officials in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere.
Long the subject of criticism over alleged user-data shortcomings – amplified by the fact that account information is reportedly stored in China and can reportedly be unilaterally accessed by the Chinese Communist Party – TikTok was last month slapped with a $368 million fine by European regulators for mishandling children’s privacy.
Before that, August saw New York City join a number of states and countries in prohibiting TikTok’s use on government devices. Notwithstanding this and different setbacks, however, the service has continued to plow ahead with new deals. And if the developments are any indication, execs don’t intend to cease operations in the States anytime soon.
Beyond today’s pact with Disney, 2023 has brought a far-reaching agreement between TikTok and Warner Music Group, including the integration of WMG acts’ music into the Commercial Music Library, as well as ByteDance’s launch of an AI-powered music-creation app.
