In brief
In a move to secure TikTok's future in the US, the platform's algorithm will be retrained utilizing American user data. This deal was announced by White House officials, who noted that tech giant Oracle will audit the recommendation system as part of a joint venture with US investors. President Trump aims to finalize this agreement, highlighting its importance for national security and user safety. However, experts warn this could alter user experience significantly and affect engagement levels on the app.
TikTok's algorithm - the technology that determines what users see in their feed - will be copied and retrained using US user data as part of a deal to secure the app's future in the country.
A White House official said on Monday that TikTok's recommendation system will be audited by tech giant Oracle, and operated by a new joint venture involving US investors in order to meet requirements for the app's sale.
This comes after President Donald Trump said a deal to prevent the app's ban in the US, unless sold by its Chinese parent company ByteDance, had been reached with China's approval.
White House officials claim the deal will be a win for the app's US users and citizens.
President Trump is expected to sign an executive order later this week on the proposed deal, which will set out how it will comply with US national security demands.
The order will also outline a 120-day pause to the enforcement deadline to allow the deal to close.
It is unclear whether the Chinese government has approved this agreement, however, the White House appears confident it has secured China's approval.
Oracle, which provides cloud computing infrastructure for a growing number of companies, has been long rumored to play a role in President Trump's deal and is likely aiming to attract patriotic investors to control the app.
However, analysts warn that changes to TikTok’s algorithm could significantly affect user behavior and overall engagement.
