The algorithm tries to get people addicted rather than giving them what they really want, says Guillaume Chaslot, founder of Algo Transparency. The document offers a rough equation for how videos are scored, in which a prediction driven by machine learning and actual user behavior are summed up for each of three bits of data: likes, comments and playtime, as well as an indication that the video has been played. It details how TikTok tweaks its system to identify and suppress “like bait” videos designed to game the algorithm.

December 7, 2021 10:18 AM