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The secret of TikToks success since its launch has been its algorithm, which presents videos to its 170 million users in the United States. The ability to synthesize users interests and keep them scrolling has been the reason the app has grown stratosphericallyand is part of the reason why the average user spends more time on the app than watching the average feature film. But TikToks fate is in jeopardy, with its owner ByteDance reportedly approaching a unique deal involving the Trump administration. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told Fox News over the weekend that the algorithm will also be controlled by America, as part of a deal that would see the apps data held on secure servers operated by Oracle, the large U.S. data company, and run with a consortium reportedly including media mogul Lachlan Murdoch, the son of Rupert Murdoch. Trump’s press secretary outlined more details of the deal today. The future of TikTok has never looked as grim as now, says Marcus Bösch, a TikTok researcher and consultant. If the United States does manage to wrest control of the algorithm powering the U.S. version of TikTok and deliver it to American ownership, it would be a win for the White House. It would assuage anti-China hawks, who fear the role the app plays in Americans lifestyles. Their campaign against TikToks continued existence led to the ban on its operation in the U.S., which Trump has repeatedly delayed through executive orders. Without evidence, those who oppose TikTok argue that its algorithm could be weaponized to push anti-U.S. sentiment onto millions of impressionable young users. But the latest developments could be a Pyrrhic victory. If the U.S. version of the apps algorithm differs in any way from the core apps offering, American citizens could end up with a subpar version of TikTokand abandon it in droves. TikTok did not immediately respond to Fast Companys request for comment. While the specifics of what a post-deal TikTok would look like are unclear, the current app heavily leverages an algorithm developed over the years by ByteDance, including being trained on predecessor apps. There are fears among experts that this highly honed feed could become one designed solely to promote Trump-favorable content. A nationalized feed may feel safer or more familiar, but I believe it risks narrowing what people see to American concerns, while filtering out the messy, global commons that once made TikTok so distinctive, says Tom Divon, a researcher studying TikTok at the Hebrew University in Israel. Others are equally worried about a whiplash effect. I anticipate stark shifts in the FYP algorithm, says Jessica Maddox, associate professor of media studies at the University of Georgia. Maddox has already seen TikToks algorithm tending to promote what she calls daytime TV content during politically tense timesincluding footage of cutesy animals and toddlers or wholesome dances. I see this becoming more of the norm with users struggling to train their algorithm back to their specific interests, Maddox says. TikTok will become more fluffy, general content instead of being known for its hyper-specific niches. And given that its success has, thus far, stemmed from its ability to offer hyper-specific tailoring of content to its usersin contrast to homegrown tech titans like YouTube and Instagramsacrificing that advantage seems like a great leveler. Donald Trump has previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has approved the terms of the deal, though Chinese and U.S. explanations of the agreement have differed, particularly around the future of the algorithm. According to Chinese state media, China’s Communist Party has said that both parties have reached an agreement to allow ByteDance to retain control of TikToks algorithmsomething Trump appears to have contradicted. Bösch believes that the apps fate could be similar to X after it was transformed from Twitterone that looks unrecognizable to its core of users but retains a loyal following among a committed minority. And under Trump, what is and isnt allowed could change significantly. I can foresee political terms that dont align with an administrations political goals being suppressed, Maddox says. Users may also see a change in content moderation guidelines, with objections that could once be overturned on appeal no longer being the case. Those who have studied TikTok extensively also fear that the quality of content could drop if users desert the platform. This one will most likely be filled with so much AI-infused propaganda, Bösch says. Nice to study. Most likely not so nice to use in private.”
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E-Commerce
Tech giant Oracle will oversee the security for a licensed copy of the recommendation engine powering TikTok under the terms of a proposed divestment deal, according to a senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday. Determining next steps for the algorithm, currently owned by the Beijing-based ByteDance, has been one of the most closely watched issues during negotiations over TikTok’s future. The Trump administration official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the emerging deal, said they believe the plan will satisfy national security concerns if TikTok divests from its Chinese parent, ByteDance. President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation before leaving office, requiring the Chinese company to sell its assets to an American company or face a ban. American officials have previously warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way thats difficult to detect. It wouldnt be in compliance if the algorithm is Chinese. There cant be any shared algorithm with ByteDance, said a spokesperson for the House Select Committee on China. Oracle would receive a copy of the algorithm and oversee the app’s security operations. The algorithm would be fully inspected and monitored for any abnormal behavior, the senior White House official said Monday. In a call with reporters, the official later emphasized that the content recommendation formula would be retrained using U.S. data in order to make sure the system is behaving appropriately. It is currently unclear if retraining the copy of the algorithm would essentially create a separate TikTok experience just for domestic U.S. users, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed in a Monday press briefing that TikTok users in the U.S will be able to see videos posted by users in other countries and vice versa. What the president will sign later this week is an executive order, essentially declaring that the terms of this deal meets Americas national security needs, the White House official said. He notes that China is expected to sign and approve a framework deal for TikTok’s divestment by the end of the week, upon which Trump will issue a 120 day reprieve, giving both nations time to get necessary agreements finalized. Full details on investors have not been released. However, the official confirmed that the U.S. operations will be a new joint venture with a board of directors that will have a majority of American membersOracle and Silver Lake, a private equity firm, are the only confirmed consortium participants so far. The White House official also said that under the preliminary dealwhich still requires Chinese officials to sign off on a framework agreementthe United States will not take equity stake in the new venture or have representation on the controlling committee. Trump, a Republican, has extended the deadline several times as he worked to reach a deal to keep TikTok available. He spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Chris Megerian, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Over the past few days, a new subgenre on TikTok has exploded in popularity: RaptureTok. Its become almost impossible to scroll through the social media platform without encountering content about the Rapturea belief held in some Christian denominations (particularly American Evangelicalism) that believers will ascend to Heaven upon Jesus Christs second coming to the Earth. While its unclear exactly how this content took hold, its starting point appears to be a prediction from South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela, who said in an interview with the YouTube channel Cettwinz TV on September 9 that he saw Jesus returning in a vision on September 23 or 24. As of this writing, the video has nearly 400,000 views. A quick search on TikTok reveals dozens of videos of Christian content creators earnestly preparing for the Rapture, while still more are responses satirizing the trend. This isnt the first time that a date has been set for the event in question: past hypotheses have included September 1988; September 6, 1994; and May 21, 2011. Here are a few examples of the #RaptureTok content thats been dominating feeds. ‘Rapture Trip Tips’ Some of the most referenced RaptureTok videos were made by creator @sonj779, who created a five-part series of Rapture Trip Tips. These include pointers like instructing followers on how to subtly hint to friends that they may be Raptured, as well as one video with more than 500,000 views on what to do when you actually begin to ascend toward Heaven. Popular streamer Hasan Piker responded directly to @sonj779 in a stream questioning the logistics of the Rapture, which has since been clipped by fan accounts and viewed more than a million times on TikTok. While viewers initially speculated that @sonj779s videos were made in earnest, shes since confirmed via her comment section that they were intended as satire. TikTok users are preparing for some to be left behind Some creators, however, do appear to be preparing for the Rapture in earnest. Creator Melissa Johnston has posted a series of videos, each with thousands of views, detailing how shes prepping for the coming days. The videos primarily detail what shes doing for those left behind after the Rapture, including preparing laminated notecards detailing her beliefs, writing a letter to any remaining loved ones, and purchasing dozens of Bibles from the dollar store. Commenters are overwhelmingly expressing concern in Johnstons comments, with one response video positing that she may be experiencing religious psychosis. Former Evangelicals respond For some creators who no longer identify with their earlier religious beliefs, RaptureTok has struck a nerve. In a video with nearly 200,000 views titled Rapture Terror, creator @veronicaandthebabyboo explains that, as a former Pentecostal pastors daughter, shes nervous about the Rapture despite no longer believing in it. My entire childhood is just Rapture trauma, she says. Its the reason I cant plan ahead, its the reason I cant save moneybecause the Rapture could come. She goes on to explain that, as a child, natural phenomena like sun rays and moon beams could be enough to make her question whether the Rapture was imminent. The video has sparked more than 3,000 comments, with viewers sharing their own experiences with childhood Rapture terror. Granny had a sticker on her dashboard: Warning: Driver of This Car May Disappear at any Moment. I got yelled at because I didnt want to get in the car with her. I. Was. Four, one user wrote. I remember calling random people in my church to see if the rapture happened bc my family was late coming home, another shared. It runs deep.
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