TikTok is an application that shows us personalized videos from about 30 seconds to 1 minute long. It uses AI learning techniques and these algorithms analyze our behavior and interests using our search history, personal interests, contact information, or public profiles and then recommend interesting content to us. The man behind the development of TikTok’s personalized algorithm is Zhang Yiming, a Chinese innovator born on April 1, 1983, in Yongding, China. Not only did he innovate the application TikTok, but he also introduced change and new ideas for personalized algorithms that other apps like Instagram followed. 

TikTok has had a significant impact on the United States and China. The US government has expressed concern that TikTok could be used to disseminate misinformation and funnel user data to the Chinese government.  The implications of these concerns could lead to increased scrutiny of Chinese-owned technology companies like TikTok operating in the United States, potentially affecting US-China relations. However, the effects of TikTok aren’t all adverse. according to CNN TikTok had an impact on the United States by serving as a platform for political and social activism. Users have also raised awareness about issues such as BLM and police brutality to show their support.

On the economic side, According to Artia, “TikTok is changing the world of marketing and advertising with new commerce features and releases that allow brands of all sizes to thrive in today’s society”. For instance, small businesses like local candy stores can gain popularity by delivering packs of candy to a TikTok user who found the business through TikTok. In the economic domain, TikTok has also reached a new level of social interaction and how artists can express themselves through short TikToks, and now, regular people can become celebrities by becoming viral. 

The FBI’s director has expressed “national security concerns” and believes that the app’s data collection methods such as the AI algorithm could allow the Chinese government to access the private information of Americans. According to CNN however, the concerns are speculative at best, and there is no public evidence that Beijing has harvested commercial data from TikTok for intelligence purposes. New York Times reports that The Biden administration has pushed TikTok’s Chinese ownership to sell the app or face a potential ban due to national security concerns. Finding a buyer for TikTok, however, may be substantially difficult. The Geopolitical tensions between the United States and China which are considered two major nations, complicate the situation due to their large focus on technology.

Wallstreet Journal writes that in response to the potential sale of TikTok, the Chinese government stated that it would “strongly oppose” any forced sale of the app. According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the sale of TikTok would involve the export of technology and require Chinese government approval. The Chinese government has also added recommendation algorithms to a list of technologies prohibited from export, indicating a desire to safeguard Chinese technology. This implication for this perspective can also be that the scrutiny between the US and China is intensifying, as the US is accusing China of allegedly accessing the information of Americans.

In conclusion, TikTok is an application that has changed the world of social media, advertising, and entertainment. The app has personalized algorithms that recommend interesting content to users based on their behavior and interests, and it has had a significant impact on the United States and China. TikTok’s impact on society and technology is undeniable, and it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve in the coming years.