New Social Network With Algorithmic Recommendations Is Being Tested in Russia
The TaktApp social network is preparing for closed beta testing. Its developers promise a diverse range of content and a friendly atmosphere.
TaktApp is a social network developed by a team from Rostov-on-Don. Testing is set to begin in October with 3,000 users – 1,000 content creators and 2,000 consumers. The developers say the platform will initially be available on the web and Android, with an iOS version to follow later.
One of Many or Something New?
Posting text, photos, short videos and stories, along with direct messaging and a recommendation feed – it sounds like the standard feature set of any social network. But the developers say their project is different. The focus is on its recommendation algorithms and, in particular, on content diversity.
The algorithms consider not only a user’s interests but also how often similar posts are shown to that person. Any single trend is supposed to account for no more than 10–15 percent of the content displayed in a day. The limit applies even when similar posts come from different authors. This approach is designed to reduce repetitive material and give users a more varied feed.
A separate mechanism is planned for creators with fewer than 500 followers. A new post will first be shown to a small group of people who may be interested in it. If the response is positive, its reach will be expanded. Another hallmark is the feed. It will automatically include more local content from creators in the user’s own city.
A Friendly Atmosphere and Support
The social network also has specific requirements for the content itself. Posts and comments written in a friendly manner are encouraged. Before a post is published, the service analyzes its text and may even suggest an alternative wording. Offensive comments are not published, while constructive and supportive messages are given priority.
The project’s creators say they want to build a friendly environment where people can learn, collaborate and meet others rather than argue. The closed beta is expected to show how the platform’s core features work, including its distinctive recommendation system.
An Alternative to Foreign Services
The launch of new social networks reflects the development of Russia’s own digital platforms and efforts to create alternative models for consuming content following the withdrawal from the Russian market or restrictions on the operation of several foreign services.
TaktApp shows how the social-platform market is gradually shifting from traditional networks focused on communication toward ecosystems built around personalized recommendations, short videos, blogging and algorithmic feeds. For Russian users, the arrival of TaktApp means more choice of platforms for communication and personal-brand promotion.
The development of platforms like this is also relevant to building Russia’s own digital infrastructure and reducing dependence on foreign platforms that use conventional recommendation algorithms.
Russia has already seen attempts to create homegrown social networks designed to bring audiences together. In late 2021, Gazprom-Media launched Yappy, a social network focused on short vertical videos and user-generated content (UGC). In 2022, the Russian business social network TenChat was launched for professional networking, job searches and business communication. In 2023, the creators of Grustnogram introduced Norm, a social network whose concept was partly similar to TaktApp. The developers positioned the service as a recommendation platform where algorithms selected useful content for users, while the quality of posts was assessed not only by the number of likes but also through a user reputation system.
The launch of TaktApp with its distinctive recommendation algorithm continues the broader development of Russian digital platforms. Competition is now emerging not only around communication features but also around the quality of content-recommendation algorithms. Experts believe that Russian social networks will move toward more personalized recommendations and integration with commercial services in the coming years.
