It seems that TikTok aims to leave nothing behind to save its existence in the global market. In a blog post, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer said this would allow experts to examine "the actual code that drives our algorithm (TikTok)." He also said TikTok would allow experts to review "real-time moderation policies".
This comes at a time when TikTok's global presence is in troubled waters. India, which has the largest audience for TikTok, previously banned the Chinese platform and several others, citing questionable data practices.
India's ban on TikTok has sparked anti-Chinese sentiment around the world. Many American politicians have applauded India's strict actions and called on the authorities to do the same in the United States. Meanwhile, Japanese lawmakers have also called for a ban on TikTok in the country.
The idea of TikTok to open its algorithm could be enough to bring the platform out of the danger zone. As part of this process, Mayer announced the launch of a "Transparency and Accountability Center for Data Moderation and Practices".
In the same blog post, Mayer also called on all other tech giants to follow suit and "disclose their algorithms, moderation policies and data feeds to regulators."
The timing of the post couldn't have been more fitting, as the blog arrived just hours before the antitrust hearing with testimonials from CEOs of Facebook, Google and Apple. However, regulators do not appear to have been influenced by TikTok's approach.
Either way, it's obvious that Tiktok wants other tech giants, especially Facebook, to receive the same scrutiny that it has received from around the world, thanks to its Chinese origin.
In the article, Tiktok also called out Facebook for the launch of Reels, which it considers a "copier product." He also said Facebook should focus its energy on providing "fair and open competition to serve our consumers" instead of trying to end TikTok's presence in the United States. During the antitrust hearing, Facebook confirmed that it had characteristics "adapted" from other companies. Therefore, it seems that Tiktok is not far from the truth.
