TikTok creator Kristen Hancher claims app wouldn’t have self-timer without her
Pixabay / Instagram, @kristenhancherDuring a wide-ranging interview on the No Jumper podcast, TikTok creator Kristen Hancher revealed just how big of an impact her work with Musical.ly has had on the platform we know today – including the beloved self-timer.
Kristen Hancher has built up quite the social media footprint at this point. The influencer segued her Musical.ly audience into seven-plus million followers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok – despite losing 26-plus million followers when her TikTok got banned.
In a new episode of the No Jumper podcast, she delved into a number of topics. Among them were her formerly unknown contributions to TikTok’s functionality today.
As Hancher explains, as a young, popular creator on Musical.ly, she was able to speak with the app’s creators about different issues prior to the TikTok merger. Going further, she claims that the app wouldn’t have its popular self-timer and video length features without those conversations.
How Kristen Hancher gave TikTok its self-timer
(For mobile users, segment begins at 47:04)
While most people might know Hancher for her makeup and trend TikToks, it turns out she played a role in TikTok’s development as well. Asked about her ban (which was due to issues with promoting her OF), she explained that it wasn’t reversed because the app’s current owners “weren’t there when I built up their f**king business.”
Elaborating, Kristen revealed that she used to have “conference calls and weekly meetings” with Musical.ly’s owner about improving the app.
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She went even further, elaborating about her role in some of TikTok’s most foundational features: “You know they wouldn’t have a f**king self-timer if it wasn’t for my a**? They wouldn’t have a longer time limit, more than 15 seconds.”
Instagram, @kristenhancherWhile it seems unlikely that Kristen will be able to recoup the 26-plus millions of followers she lost when her TikTok was banned, she doesn’t seem particularly fazed. During the rest of the podcast, she explained how happy she still is with her brand and content.
Simultaneously, TikTok’s owners also have reason to be happy. The platform surged in 2021 to become the world’s biggest website – thanks in part to features like the self-timer and lengthier time limits.