Instagram Eyes Standalone Reels App Amid TikTok’s US Uncertainty

• Instagram is planning a separate Reels app as TikTok’s fate hangs in uncertainty in the U.S. on national security grounds.
• To capitalise on the vacuum caused by any potential ban on the latter and maintain its dominance over the short-form video field, Meta is determined to populate TikTok with Instagram clientele or another target group.

A particular discussion culminated in Instagram’s announcement of a likely separate Reels app as political and national-security-related discord paused TikTok into doubt in the U.S. The information was reported by The Information, an Instagram executive speaking of the possibility to the Reels team this week. TikTok’s uncertain future has Meta capitalising on that by developing a pseudo-feature of its video-scrolling platform for those who, by design, would want to consider another option.

Why is TikTok in Trouble in America?

Government authorities from the U.S. have long been apprehending ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, believing that U.S. ownership could threaten national security. People are worried that the platform’s power will be used for spying and political manipulation owing to the sensitive data compiled by the app on American users, which include geo-location and phone records. As a response to these allegations, the US government has moved on ByteDance for ByteDance to divest from its US operations or to be outlawed.

The feud dates back to January of 2025 when ByteDance initially declared a ruling to detach its U.S. entity in action after an instance that took forever to start. Consequently, TikTok has suspended its operations in the country. Less than about 24 hours later, President Donald Trump issued an executive order, giving TikTok seventy days to negotiate a delivery, stating that American data should be protected without harming the users.

At present, TikTok may still be accessed in the United States until ByteDance performs any guard operation or agrees to give the U.S. control. Public feeling is split, with 77% of Americans advocating not having Chinese interests in these transactions and 63% voicing approval for a ban or forced sale to U.S. companies shortly.

Why Meta is Outgoing to Invite the Opportunity 

To lessen its magnifying rivalry with TikTok, Instagram shall be coming up with a new standalone application for Reels. Maybe with a tacit intention to attract those who may not be able to tap into the TikTok tide once government regulations restrict the platform out of the US. This would not be the first time Meta has expressly taken on TikTok. In 2018, Meta unveiled Lasso, a standalone video-sharing app meant for TikTok competition. However, Lasso had not been a big hit and was eventually phased out.

Which left Meta growing strong for a debut since then! Then in January 2025, there, too, was a new video edit app, Edits, which tests CapCut, another well-known app from ByteDance. CapCut also experienced some control problems this year when it was removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play temporarily due to some regulation issues.

The policy implies that by releasing Reels as a standalone product, Meta would dent some more into girding up appeals from those wanting a better alternative to TikTok. This has now made it crystal clear that Meta is nothing if not perfunctorily inclined towards winning a one-up in the short-video format league up against TikTok, and that, especially under stable uncertainty casting a shadow over its outcome somewhere from the U.S.

What Will Happen Next?

The TikTok ban issues have subsisted for 75 days until either the passage of early April 2025 or until it will be made fully unequivocal once and for all as to what exactly might play out between ByteDance and the United States. Hopefully, the ongoing dialogues will serve to make up the minds of likely TikTok lovers still out there. Metamorphoses also appear to be tapping if the ban were serious to its advantage at whatever cost.

Meta stated that there was no official confirmation about its possible distinct release on Reels. But the truth is that she is aiming for the purposes it may enforce in connection with TikTok’s result. As is always the case with Megatelephony, if the ban on TikTok went through, the company would hold a major stake in short-form video formats in the U.S. On the other hand, it could simply overwhelm them.

So, the big thing for them to risk for Meta, and the entity seems poised to dance in.