Reports claim TikTok is preparing a clone of its algorithm, TikTok says report has inaccuracies

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Original image from AFP

If you're following the TikTok vs US story, you probably know the company was told to sell or face a permanent ban. TikTok has refused and retaliated with a lawsuit last month, so the latter outcome seems inevitable. But reports now claim TikTok is looking for ways to get around the issue.

According to Reuters, TikTok is preparing a separate 'clone' of its recommendation algorithm for US users. The clone could make the app more acceptable to US lawmakers and perhaps reverse the ban. This move isn't an easy one, as TikTok's algorithm is said to have millions of lines of code. At its core, the idea is to have a new version that's independent of TikTok's Chinese version (Douyin) and eliminate information linking to Chinese users.

Currently, we're not sure if this is TikTok preparing a separate app that US lawmakers would allow. While the so-called sources claim TikTok's move could "lay the groundwork for divestiture of US assets", the company stated that the demanded "qualified divestiture" is impossible commercially, technologically, and legally. In other words, we can see this as TikTok preparing the clone to continue operating in the US, not to sell.

Will TikTok's clone help it stay in the US social media scene without having to sell to a US entity? Please share your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.