TikTok is rolling out a new feature that will tell users why a video on their For You Page is recommended for them.
“Our system recommends content by ranking videos based on a combination of factors based on your activity on our app, which includes adjusting for things you indicate you’re not interested in,” according to a TikTok blog post. “Our goal is to serve a range of relevant and entertaining content. To help people understand why a particular video has been recommended to them, we’re rolling out a new tool over the coming weeks.”
The feature is being rolled out now, but hasn’t fully gone into effect yet. A TikTok spokesperson told Mashable that it “will expand over the coming weeks.”
“Our system recommends content by ranking videos based on a combination of factors based on your activity on our app; as you engage on our platform, we’ll be able to provide more context on your recommended content, and will expand the feature over time,” a TikTok spokesperson said over email.
When the feature is available, it’s pretty simple to use. When you’re scrolling through your For You Page, tape the share button. Then, tap the question mark icon called “Why this video.” From there, you’ll be told why it was recommended to you. For instance, one of the videos with the feature available on my For You Page says it was recommended to me because “you liked similar videos,” and “this video is popular in your country.”
“This feature is one of many ways we’re working to bring meaningful transparency to the people who use our platform, and builds on a number of steps we’ve taken towards that goal,” a press release for TikTok reads. “For instance, we publish guidelines for content categories that are ineligible for recommendation, tools to help customize recommendations, and educational resources that explain how our content recommendations work. Looking ahead, we’ll continue to expand this feature to bring more granularity and transparency to content recommendations.”
This comes amidst privacy concerns over how users’ data is shared by the platform and its parent company Chinese owned ByteDance. There has been increased scrutiny of the app particularly by Republican lawmakers. Rep. Mike Gallagher has raised concerns that TikTok is tracking users’ data outside the app and has a too-personalized in-app algorithm that is selectively editing the news people see, according to Politico.
