How TikTok's Algorithm Figures You Out | WSJ

The Wall Street Journal created dozens of automated accounts that watched hundreds of thousands of videos to reveal how the the TikTok algorithm knows you so well.

A Wall Street Journal investigation found that TikTok only needs one important piece of information to figure out what you want: the amount of time you linger over a piece of content. Every second you hesitate or rewatch, the app is tracking you.

Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann/The Wall Street Journal

WSJ video investigations use visual evidence to reveal the truth behind the most important stories of the day.

Inside TikTok’s Highly Secretive Algorithm
This WSJ video investigation reveals how the video-centric social network is so good at figuring out interests you never expressly tell it.

More from the Wall Street Journal:

#WSJ #TikTok #Algorithm

[chandramoulisarkar]

"We're training them and they are training us" well said.

[ludvigeh]

“We created 100 bots” is a very creative way to describe 10 summer interns.

[rbd]

Apart from the content itself, the visual and graphics of this video are incredible

[mynameisosca]

Man I feel depressed watching Kentucky swipe

[rooseveltsilver]

The youtube algorithm is as powerful as tiktok's in landing me on this WSJ report.

[motocross]

I believe not enough people are discussing the dangers of algorithms that have been tasked with “increasing engagement”

[Gabrielgrassmayr]

“We made a bot who is 24. He is depressed.” Haha yeah he’s still kinda gen-z

[chrischris]

One thing I like about youtube is that when I use a vpn, it changes a lot of recommended content. Having lived in different countries and speaking different languages, that is a way to stop it from pushing only one language material on me. Now as far as tiktok goes, it's algorithm is a sticky demon, if it learns something about you, it will almost never let it go

[alexanderdunn]

This is super interesting but I would be curious to know how the “automated bots” were programmed to identify and interact with certain types of content. I’d imagine that if these bots were only looking at hashtags for example to identify a specific kind of content, this could bias the results.

[SteashEdits]

We definitely need to see a trend of having algorithms aid the users rather than algorithms dictating the users.

YouTube and Instagram already has me addicted deeply in their platforms that it could be my fulltime job to use their platforms while rationally I would never choose that.

[questionm]

I hate how the conversation has mostly been around TikTok when it comes to algorithms and the boxes social media puts us in, TikTok only has the best filters for finding interest but social media companies have influenced us way more than we realize by pushing everyone to the extremes of their interest. While they build these systems to make the most amount of money people are push more to content that sometimes has no basis in actual reality and when that is the only content you are seeing its not hard to see how that can seem exactly like reality to the user.

[royasher]

And by watching this video till the end, youtube will give more video from WSJ (and topic about tiktok)

[trung]

Wow. This is movie-level journalism. Great job WSJ!

[ypotanin]

I'm kind of impressed by WSJ's technical capabilities. Right on.

[mirofeya]

It is totally listening and detecting all it can on your phone. My tiktok knows my period cycle, it knows when I'm hungry and when I'm in the toilet constipated. It is incredibly accurate. This is scary.

[martianmerit]

I dont know Tiktok but Fb is really scary.
I made a private call to a new person yesterday and right the evening I received a friend recommendation of that person. The funny part is that he is not my friend. I called him personally for dental appointment.
Fb is creeping on us everybody

[logankessler]

I personally feel that these algorithms should be designed to challenge the views and opinions of people, not further confirm their biases.

[alvinmangera]

YouTube recommending this video like we don't know they're doing the exact same

[adobegr]

In the past our personalities were shaped by the people we met, now personalities are shaped by algorithms

[samheedy]

Shares likes and saves play roles in what TikTok shows you.
Tiktok also pays attention to how long you are over a piece of content, every second you are rewatching the video, the app is tracking you.