TikTok's algorithm uses micro-interactions, search queries, location, and typing speed to keep users scrolling and generate $18 billion in ad revenue. All that data flows to ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, raising concerns the Chinese government could access it.
TikTok's algorithm made them $18 billion last year, but it has the potential to implode the whole company, and here's why. You see, other platforms like Instagram show you stuff your friends like, but every second you spend watching TikTok, well, TikTok is watching you back. And how many microseconds before you swipe past a video, what do you like, what do you search for, even stuff like your location and how fast you type, it's all data and TikTok eats it up. And it's so good that it's creepy and massively addictive. So why go to all this trouble? Well, it's all about ads. The more you're addicted, the longer you scroll, and the more ads they show you. And last year, the owners of TikTok made over $18 billion. That's more than Snapchat, Twitter, and Pinterest combined. But that's not the creepy part. All the information they collect about you is fed straight to ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, in China. And it's not just tracking what you like, it's predicting what you'll want next and pushing you whatever direction they want. And lawmakers all over the world are freaking out about this because the Chinese government can access all of that data. We do not trust TikTok. So the next time you lose an hour to TikTok, remember this: you're not the customer, you're the product.
