Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Anisha Sircar is a journalist covering tech, finance and society. A preliminary TikTok deal proposes U.S. investors own 80% of its ...

A deal between the U.S. and China over the ownership of TikTok includes new stipulations over who controls the social media company's algorithm, a closely guarded secret which has proved to be a major ...

Algorithms, which are just sets of instructions expressed in code, are harder to restrict than physical goods. But governments, including the U.S., have long tried to prevent their export. The ...

Small businesses thrive on TikTok thanks to an algorithm that evaluates each video independently. User engagement (likes, comments, shares, saves), watch time and relevant content are more important ...

The story of TikTok has always been complicated by its ownership. When its predecessor, lip-syncing app Musical.ly, broke through with children and teenagers in 2016, the New York Times noted it’s ...

TikTok’s algorithm favors mental health content over many other topics, including politics, cats and Taylor Swift, according to a Washington Post analysis. At first, the mental health-related videos ...