US President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday has brought the US closer to gaining control of TikTok's algorithm. The Chinese Commerce Ministry released a statement following the meeting, stating that "China will properly resolve TikTok-related issues with the United States." However, neither leader confirmed whether China has agreed to the terms of Trump's proposed deal.
The proposed deal would create a US version of TikTok, licensing the Chinese-owned algorithm. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the deal is finalized and will be resolved over the coming weeks and months. However, Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, has expressed concerns that China may not be satisfied with Trump's proposal or willing to relinquish control of an app that has become an "American social media phenomenon."
If the sale goes through without major changes to the terms, TikTok could radically change for US users. The algorithm would need to be retrained, potentially shifting what content Americans see on the platform. Global content will still be displayed, but it's unclear how it may be filtered or altered.
Some speculate that TikTokers may only connect with American users through the app, but this is unlikely. Kelley Cotter, an assistant professor who studies social media algorithms, suggests that the algorithm could be tweaked to display conservative content more prominently, potentially altering what content is accessed on the app. This could result in a situation where TikTok becomes an "app composed by only people based in the US," with a potential right-wing bias.
However, speculation about American users being siloed off from global content has been debunked as inaccurate. The sale of TikTok to US owners will likely bring technical issues, including glitches, as all US users are hastily transferred over to the new app. Any technical problems could drive users off the app, potentially altering content.
The future of TikTok's algorithm and content is uncertain, but one thing is clear: if Trump's deal goes through, it could have significant implications for the platform's direction and user experience.
The proposed deal would create a US version of TikTok, licensing the Chinese-owned algorithm. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the deal is finalized and will be resolved over the coming weeks and months. However, Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, has expressed concerns that China may not be satisfied with Trump's proposal or willing to relinquish control of an app that has become an "American social media phenomenon."
If the sale goes through without major changes to the terms, TikTok could radically change for US users. The algorithm would need to be retrained, potentially shifting what content Americans see on the platform. Global content will still be displayed, but it's unclear how it may be filtered or altered.
Some speculate that TikTokers may only connect with American users through the app, but this is unlikely. Kelley Cotter, an assistant professor who studies social media algorithms, suggests that the algorithm could be tweaked to display conservative content more prominently, potentially altering what content is accessed on the app. This could result in a situation where TikTok becomes an "app composed by only people based in the US," with a potential right-wing bias.
However, speculation about American users being siloed off from global content has been debunked as inaccurate. The sale of TikTok to US owners will likely bring technical issues, including glitches, as all US users are hastily transferred over to the new app. Any technical problems could drive users off the app, potentially altering content.
The future of TikTok's algorithm and content is uncertain, but one thing is clear: if Trump's deal goes through, it could have significant implications for the platform's direction and user experience.
I remember when we first got our hands on TikTok back in 2018 
. It was like a whole new world! You'd see these crazy videos of people lip-syncing to K-pop songs or doing some sick dance moves 
. But now, it's all about the algorithm and who gets to control it 
. I'm not sure if Trump's deal is going to be good for TikTok in the long run. If they're going to create a US version of the app, that means the Chinese algorithm is going to get pushed out... what's wrong with mixing things up a bit? 
. I mean, come on, TikTok's always been about showcasing weird and wonderful stuff from all over the world 
. If they start pushing it to be more right-wing biased... that's just not what I signed up for 
.
... like can't we just let them run their own app without the US government trying to control everything? 
The thought of a "right-wing bias" on TikTok is literally giving me anxiety 
. And don't even get me started on the technical issues that'll come with this sale... it's gonna be a nightmare for users 
. I just want my For You Page to work again without any glitches 
. Can we please just focus on making TikTok better, not trying to control its content? 
also, can you imagine the glitches when all these people suddenly get transferred to a new app? 
one thing is for sure tho - this deal has some major implications for tiktok's direction and user experience. let's just say i'm hyped (but also kinda anxious) to see how this plays out 
It's one thing for adults to worry about the politics of it all, but what about our kids who are just trying to have fun on TikTok? 
. Not like any of us will notice the difference, right? 
Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out...
But seriously, what's up with this proposed deal? China seems kinda chill about it on the surface, but Dan Ives has some valid concerns. What if they're just playing us all along?
And what about the tech issues? I don't want to see glitches and stuff ruining my TikTok experience... 
. Can't they just leave it as is? It's already got its own weird issues, but at least it's not like... controlled by China 
. That would be super weird for me, I mean, TikTok is all about that global vibe 
. Plus, think of all the good creators who rely on it to connect with people from all over the world... it's gonna be a mess if they start isolating us from global content 
️. If China doesn't agree to Trump's proposal, it's gonna be tough for the app to make some major changes without major drama 
.
. As it stands now, TikTok is all about diversity and crazy videos, so altering that for one side of the US could be pretty alienating.
. There are too many people (and algorithms 
) involved to make some drastic changes without a hitch. It's gonna take some time, and probably a few bumps along the way... but it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out 
they're not gonna let go that easily. dan ives is right on this one, trump's proposal might be a nice way out for the US but china might not be willing to compromise. and what if this new app starts showing more right-wing content? idk about Kelley saying that... it could lead to tiktok becoming super biased towards americans 
. What if China doesn't want to give up control over TikTok's algorithm? It's not like we've seen anything like this before... I'm all for some level of transparency, though 
.
. And let's be real, what if this whole deal just creates a bunch of technical issues 
... china's being super vague about trump's proposal 
... but honestly, i think it's all just a big mess 
. and what about tiktok users who want to connect with people from other countries? i think we need to chill out a bit 
. let's not jump to conclusions... or at least, let's try not to 
️.
. whats the point of having a social media platform if you cant even trust what youre seeing on it?