How TikTok’s Algorithm Could Shift with a U.S. Spin-off

This episode of Science Quickly features Rachel Feltman interviewing Kelley Cotter, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, about the potential sale of TikTok and its implications for the platform's algorithm. Cotter explains the details of the proposed sale, highlighting concerns about the algorithm's control and potential manipulation. She discusses the unique aspects of TikTok's algorithm, its effectiveness in tailoring content, and the possible consequences of the sale, including shifts in the platform's ideological slant and user base, depending on the new owners and their decisions regarding content moderation and algorithm adjustments. The discussion also touches on how a U.S.-only app, with an algorithm retrained on American user data, might differ from the current global version.