February 22, 2026
TikTok, but make it messy
Loops is a federated, open-source TikTok
“TikTok without the billionaires” has arrived — and the internet is already fighting about it
TLDR: Loops is a new TikTok-style video app that promises no ads, no tracking, and user control, but it’s already stirring drama over its founder’s past and whether a “non-addictive” TikTok can ever go mainstream. Commenters are split between hopeful reformers, brutal skeptics, and people just here for the memes.
Loops showed up promising “TikTok, but ethical” — open-source, no ads, no corporate overlords — and the comment section instantly turned into a reality show. One camp is hyped: finally, a short‑video app that doesn’t spy on you and lets creators actually own their audience instead of being trapped in a single company’s app.
Then the drama drops: users point out Loops is run by the same dev behind Pixelfed, who has a whole open-letter site accusing him of being hostile to other developers. Suddenly the feel‑good “power to the people” pitch has a “problematic founder” subplot, and folks are side‑eyeing the project before it even leaves beta.
Others go straight for the big question: can an addiction‑free TikTok clone even work? One commenter compares Loops to “nicotine‑free cigarettes” — sure, healthier, but will anyone actually want them? Another jokes that the tech world is just speedrunning federated everything, predicting the inevitable “self‑hosted casino” as we remake every bad habit in open‑source form.
Still, not everyone is here to dunk. Some argue that hating on the entire short‑video format is lazy, and that an open, community‑run version might actually be the only way to fix it. Another points out the obvious: if you want normal people to join, you can’t hit them with “choose a server” on the first screen. Loops isn’t just fighting TikTok — it’s fighting its own community’s skepticism.
Key Points
- •Loops is an open beta, federated, open-source short-form video platform designed to avoid corporate control and user lock-in.
- •The service offers a vertical swipe video feed with separate "Following" and "For You" feeds, with discovery driven by engagement, hashtags, and social graph rather than ads.
- •Loops provides creator-focused tools, including a minimal vertical video camera, lens switching, captions, and rich comment threads with replies and mentions.
- •The platform uses ActivityPub to interoperate with other fediverse services like Mastodon and Pixelfed, allowing content to reach users across different servers.
- •Loops positions itself as an ethical, ad-free alternative to commercial short-video platforms, funded by user sponsorship and donations that support development and infrastructure.