Facebook Shuts Down TikTok Clone Lasso Ahead of Instagram Reels Launch
Facebook discontinues its short-form video app Lasso after less than two years of struggling to gain traction. The company shifts its focus to Instagram Reels as its primary weapon against TikTok.
Facebook officially ends its experiment with Lasso, a short-form video app designed to compete with TikTok, alerting users that the platform shuts down on July 10. Launched in late 2018, the app allows users to create 15-second videos with popular music overlays and features an algorithmic feed similar to its rival. A Facebook spokesperson confirms the closure, stating that Lasso serves as a testing ground and that the company plans to integrate learned insights into its other video experiences.
The app struggles to find a significant audience throughout its brief lifespan, reaching a peak of fewer than 80,000 daily active users on Android in Mexico, its largest market. Lasso remains limited to a handful of nations in the Americas, despite recent additions like Hindi language support that hint at a potential expansion into India. Furthermore, the project faces internal turmoil from the start, with the app's development leader departing the company just days after the initial launch.
Lasso's demise comes at a strategic time as Facebook prepares to launch Instagram Reels, which the company now bets on to capture the short-form video market. Observers note that the social network essentially loses two years by underinvesting in Lasso, failing to expand its reach or user base. This shutdown aligns with a broader pattern at Facebook, which recently announces the closure of another experimental app called Hobbi.