Several sources claim TikTok could be preparing US copy of its core algorithm

Several sources said Thursday that TikTok could be preparing a U.S. copy of its core algorithm to avoid a ban the country could impose on the app in the coming months.

Specifically, Reuters revealed, the idea is to make a copy of the central algorithm that would be in charge of making the recommendations to the 170 million U.S. users and that would have the information hosted in the United States while the rest of the data would continue in Douyin. However, according to the same sources, there are no plans yet to carry out this division, but only tests.

These same people, who chose to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to talk about TikTok's plans, said they are encountering legal problems during these tests because they have to review lines of code virtually one by one to confirm which ones can be duplicated without violating regulations. This slows down and complicates the work.

TikTok denies working on splitting algorithm

In addition, the Spanish newspaper ABC assures, in TikTok they are aware that the performance of the US copy might not have the same level as the central algorithm, which is an added complication to this copy.

For its part, the platform denied any information in this regard. In statements made by a spokesman, the social network denied working on this copy ensuring that it was unfeasible to implement this mechanism before the deadline given by the U.S. government to comply with the law passed this May: