TikTok and Race

TikTok’s algorithm is known for its ability to capture a users’ interest fast and continually suggest new content to consume based on those interests. While TikTok has never completely shared their algorithm to the public, they have shared some information. Meanwhile many algorithm professionals and users alike have their own theories about how the TikTok algorithm works.

History

The TikTok app is a social media platform in which small video clips are presented to the user based on a constant stream. The For You Page and an endless page of these videos specifically tailored to the interest of the user, how this is done is not exactly known. While not gaining popularity until COVID-19, the TikTok app is an amalgamation of three different apps previously launched, one of which was Musical.ly created in 2014. Chinese tech giant ByteDAnce also launched a similar platform called Douyin. In 2018, ByteDance bought Musica.ly and wanted to expand and rebrand itself under the name TikTok. The TikTok application is known for its powerful algorithm that seems to learn user's preferences faster than other social media platforms before. (add citations)