TikTok’s Secretive Algorithm Unpacked by The Wall Street Journal

TikTok’s algorithm is highly effective and problematic, as uncovered by The Wall Street Journal. 

The Journal created over 100 automated accounts or bots assigning each a set of specific interests, without disclosing them to TikTok. The accounts would express their interest by re-watching or pausing videos with related hashtags or images. As detailed in the visual investigation, users were initially fed popular videos, in which the app could then narrow in on the user’s focus and exploit their vulnerabilities. 

“The algorithm on TikTok can get much more powerful and it can be able to learn your vulnerabilities much faster” Guillaume Chaslot, Founder of Algotransparency

As TikTok’s algorithm would better understand what content the accounts were giving attention to, content would become less mainstream, and in many cases, harmful. With users drifting from the mainstream feed, the amount of less vetted and more disturbing content would increase – featuring concerning themes such as encouraging eating disorders, sexualising minors and discussing suicide.