TikTok

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Face bias allegations

Artificial intelligence researcher, Marc Faddoul, demonstrates that there may be a glitch in the system and that the platform may reinforce racial bias. In a series of tweets Faddoul indicated that he did an experiment on his own and found that TikTok recommended accounts based on the accounts he was already following. This isn’t unusual, as this is how social media algorithms work. What was interesting to Faddoul is that the physical characteristics of a person’s profile picture were mimicked in TikTok’s recommendations. For example, if he followed a White woman with blonde hair, a series of TikTok users who looked the same would populate as his recommendations. If, on the otherhand, Faddoul followed an Asian man, similarly, other accounts of Asian men would show up in his recommendations. A TikTok spokesperson shared with BuzzFeed News that this phenomenon is known as collaborative filtering. What’s problematic about the collaborative filtering, Faddoul indicated is that it “may also reproduce whatever bias there is in people’s behavior.” If the majority of popular creators on TikTok are White, for example, this can prevent creators of color with smaller followings from being seen and recommended as often on the platform. Visibility is important for creators and can translate to money and opportunities. If creators of color receive less visibility than their White counterparts, this could lead to a less of these opportunities.[1]

Because the platform’s biggest users are White, TikTok’s algorithm may elevate White creators while limiting the visibility and reach of creators of color.

In addition to racial biases which may be perpetuated by the platform’s algorithm, there are several TikTok users that criticize the platform for inequitable treatment of creators of color. A quick peruse on Twitter of the search terms ‘TikTok’ and ‘racism’ will pull up a multitude of tweets from users sharing opinions and videos about the discrepancies in treatment among White and non-White users. [1]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Asare, Janice Gassam. Does TikTok Have A Race Problem?. Forbes, April 14, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2021.