TikTok’s Aesthetic Is Taking Over the Entire Internet

The digital landscape has been undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the explosive rise of TikTok. What began as a singular viral sensation has evolved into a dominant force, prompting competitors across the tech industry to replicate its format. From YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels to lesser-known platforms like Triller and Zynn, the race to capture short-form video attention is fierce. For years, Meta has aggressively pumped video content into user feeds, attempting to mimic TikTok’s runaway success. Now, evidence suggests that this “TikTok-ification” of social media is reaching its most complete form yet.

Recent reports indicate that Meta is testing a new interface in India that launches users directly into an immersive, full-screen video feed upon opening the Facebook app. This aligns with earlier hints from the company that such an experience would prioritize “video-heavy countries” before potentially expanding to the US by 2027. Simultaneously, researcher Radu Oncescu identified a similar option on Instagram, allowing users to set Reels as their primary landing page. While Stories remain at the top of the feed and traditional posts are accessible via swiping, the default behavior shifts significantly toward continuous video playback.

Meta spokesperson Devi Narasimhan confirmed to The Verge that the Instagram test is active in select regions, though specific locations were not disclosed. She noted that users retain the ability to revert to the original layout. Additionally, she clarified that while sound is enabled for Reels by default, it will be muted once a user swipes or clicks into a video, offering a slight adjustment to the fully immersive model.

Although these tests may not become permanent fixtures, the trajectory is clear. Video consumption is a strategic priority for Meta, even as text-based initiatives like Threads receive less emphasis in corporate communications. Recent earnings calls highlighted a 9 percent global increase in time spent watching videos on Facebook, with a 10 percent rise in the US and Canada. The company also touted improvements to its ranking systems designed to identify high-quality Reels at the moment of creation.

This shift toward video-first design has rippled through every industry reliant on social distribution. Podcasts have been repurposed into video clips, television shows have morphed into microdramas, and films have been fragmented into dozens of short segments. Even political messaging has adapted, taking the form of manufactured user-generated content. It remains ambiguous whether audiences genuinely prefer video over text or images, or if they simply engage because platforms dictate the experience. Regardless of user preference, the metric of engagement drives platform decisions.

However, a disconnect exists between consumption and creation. Polling data from Morning Consult reveals that while 81 percent of US respondents watch Instagram Reels, only 39 percent post them. As video becomes the backbone of online activity, fewer users are creating content. This imbalance may explain why platforms increasingly tolerate AI-generated material; when organic posting slows, algorithms must fill the void. Ultimately, social media users have largely transformed into voyeurs, consuming content rather than contributing to it.

If Instagram and Facebook fully adopt video feeds by default, it would represent a seismic structural change. More importantly, it would erase the philosophical distinction that these platforms serve as spaces for personal connection. Already, creatives have struggled to adapt to algorithm demands, often forced to build video studios to maintain visibility. Extending this pressure to average users, such as family members and old friends, risks further alienating the community aspect of social networking. The outcome of Meta’s tests in the US and other regions will determine whether this vision proceeds. If expansion occurs, the industry has seen it coming long before it arrives.