TikTok denies developing US-specific algorithm
TikTok is refuting claims that it is developing a unique recommendation algorithm specifically for its US users. The social media giant's rebuttal comes in response to a Reuters report suggesting this project has been ongoing since last year and aims to operate independently from Douyin, the Chinese version of the app managed by parent company ByteDance. "The Reuters story published today is misleading and factually inaccurate," TikTok Policy account tweeted on X.
Take a look at TikTok's response
TikTok also refutes claims of source code separation
TikTok's spokesperson, Michael Hughes, has also dismissed the claims made by Reuters. In his statement to The Verge, Hughes said, "While we have continued work in good faith to further safeguard the authenticity of the TikTok experience, it is simply false to suggest that this work would facilitate divestiture or that divestiture is even a possibility." He categorically denied the allegations of code separation as "100% false."
Previous efforts to assert independence from China
In the past, TikTok has initiated projects to assert its autonomy from its Chinese parent company. One such endeavor was "Project Texas," described as "an unprecedented initiative dedicated to making every American on TikTok feel safe, with confidence that their data is secure and the platform is free from outside influence." However, the company "seems to have realized that it won't save itself from a US ban on the technical merits," according to The Verge.
Ongoing legal battle and future implications
TikTok is currently engaged in a legal dispute with the US government over a law that mandates ByteDance to either give up control of the app by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. While there are no immediate plans for a company split, Reuters's sources suggest that "once the code is split, it could lay the groundwork for a divestiture of the US assets."
