TikTok CEO Shou Chew on Its Future — and What Makes Its Algorithm Different | Live at TED2023

# Introduction

In this section, the speaker introduces himself and talks about his experience with TikTok.

Speaker's Background

• The speaker is from Singapore.

• He met two engineers who were building a product that recommended content to people based on what they liked, rather than who they knew.

• This was the genesis of early iterations of TikTok.

Mission and Vision of TikTok

• The mission of TikTok is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

• The vision is to provide users with a window to discover, a canvas to create, and bridges for people to connect.

What Makes TikTok Unique

• TikTok's discovery engine uses machine learning algorithms to show people what they like.

• This gives everyday people a platform to be discovered if they have talent.

• It is very easy for talented individuals to get discovered on TikTok.

# Audience Poll

In this section, the speaker polls the audience about their use of TikTok.

Audience Poll

• The speaker asks how many in the audience use TikTok.

• Many in the audience raise their hands indicating that almost everyone has had some kind of contact with it at this point.

# Speaker's Background

In this section, the interviewer asks about the speaker's background and how he came to work at TikTok.

How Speaker Came To Work At Tiktok

• The speaker met two engineers who were building a product that recommended content based on what people liked rather than who they knew.

• This was the genesis of early iterations of Tic Toc

• Five years ago with 4G short video mobile phone penetration Tick Tock was born

• A couple of years ago he had an opportunity to run this company which still excites him every single day.

# TikTok's Discovery Engine

In this section, the speaker talks about what makes TikTok unique and how its discovery engine works.

What Makes TikTok Unique

• The language used by people who have spent time on it is that it is a different level of addiction to other media out there.

• It knows you within a couple of days of experience and surprises you with things that you didn't know you were going to be interested in but you are.

• TikTok's machine learning algorithms show people what they like, making it easy for talented individuals to get discovered on the platform.

Mission and Vision of TikTok

• The mission of TikTok is to inspire creativity and bring joy.

• The vision is to provide users with a window to discover, a canvas to create, and bridges for people to connect.

# Earlier Apps vs. Tiktok

In this section, the speaker talks about earlier apps compared to Tic Toc.

Earlier Apps vs. Tic Toc

• Earlier apps were built for different purposes such as search or connecting people with their followers.

• Tic Toc's machine learning algorithms show people what they like, making it easy for talented individuals to get discovered on the platform.

• This gives everyday people a platform to be discovered if they have talent.

# Speaker's Addiction Comment

In this section, the interviewer asks about why people are addicted to TikTok.

Why People Are Addicted To Tiktok

• People are addicted because within a couple of days of experience it knows them and surprises them with things that they didn't know they were going to be interested in but they are.

• There are good and bad things about this type of addiction.

# The Power of Recommendation Algorithm

In this section, the speaker talks about how the recommendation algorithm works and how it has allowed for content discovery on a large scale.

How the Recommendation Algorithm Works

• The algorithm tracks user behavior such as likes and watch time to determine interest signals.

• It uses collaborative filtering to match users with similar interests.

• Machine learning allows for this process to be done at a large scale in real-time.

• Users vote with their thumbs by watching, swiping, liking, or sharing content which creates organic interest signals that are used in the algorithm.

Importance of Optimizing for Smartphones

• The company was one of the first to optimize for smartphones by using portrait format and short videos.

• This format allows for a full-screen window to discover new things and has helped connect people through communities.

Example of Content Discovery

• A creator named Samuel started posting content about his taco restaurant on the platform and was able to find his community through the content he shared.

The Power of the Platform

In this section, the speaker talks about how their platform has given small businesses and individuals a voice that they would not have had otherwise. They also discuss how the platform allows people to connect with others and discover new things.

Connecting People Together

• The platform connects people together and gives them a window to discover.

• Small businesses and individuals now have a voice that they would not have had otherwise.

• The platform allows people to connect with others and discover new things.

Early Liftoff

In this section, the speaker discusses how they wanted to persuade creators who were trying out Tick Tock that this was a platform where they would get an early response. They also talk about how important affirmation is for people.

Persuading Creators

• The speaker wanted to persuade creators that Tick Tock was a platform where they could get an early response.

• Affirmation is important for people.

Giving Everyone a Chance

In this section, the speaker talks about how their platform gives everyone, regardless of fame or followers, a chance to be discovered. They also discuss how their recommendation system differs from other platforms.

A Chance for Everyone

• Other platforms require you to be famous already in order to get followers.

• Tick Tock gives anyone with enough talent a stage to be discovered.

• Their recommendation system differs from other platforms.

Virality on the Platform

In this section, the speaker talks about virality on their platform. They explain that it's not something that can be engineered or overthought but rather something that resonates with the audience.

Virality on the Platform

• The machine recognizes people's interests.

• If your message resonates with people, it will automatically go viral.

• User-generated content is not something that can be engineered or overthought.

Encouraging Talent

In this section, the speaker talks about how they encourage talent on their platform. They explain that they want to give every person who posts a video an equal chance to have some audience to begin with.

Encouraging Talent

• Tick Tock wants to give every person who posts a video an equal chance to have some audience to begin with.

• They don't artificially increase the number of followers or likes someone has.

• The machine recognizes people's interests and if your message resonates with people, it will automatically go viral.

Main Use Case

The main use case of TikTok is to provide users with recommended content. The diversity of content that users see is key to the discovery mission.

Recommended Content

• The most important use case for TikTok is to provide users with recommended content.

• The vision of TikTok is to discover, and in order to facilitate that, it's important that users see a diversity of content.

• Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok has largely avoided filter bubbles and tribes declaring war on each other because it was built with interest algorithms rather than social algorithms.

Company Vision

A company's vision and mission are its North Star. It's not just about engineering and algorithms but also what the company was built for.

Importance of Vision

• A company needs to have a clear vision and mission as its North Star.

• If a company pivots away from its original purpose halfway through, it can cause issues for the user experience.

• Engineering and algorithms are not the only factors; what the company was built for matters too.

Avoiding Filter Bubbles

TikTok has largely avoided filter bubbles by providing users with diverse content. Clear community guidelines help identify bad actors who post inappropriate content.

Diversity of Content

• The diversity of content that users see on TikTok is very important.

• This helps avoid filter bubbles where tribes declare war on each other.

• Users expect different experiences from different apps based on their original purpose.

Community Guidelines

• Clear community guidelines are essential in identifying bad actors who post inappropriate content.

• No executives make ad hoc decisions; instead, tens of thousands of people plus machines work together to identify bad content proactively.

• Guidelines are published on the website and are updated regularly.

Age Restrictions

TikTok has clear age restrictions to ensure a safe experience for all users. Tools are provided to parents to control their teenagers' experience.

Age Gating

• Age gating is used when signing up for the app for the first time.

• Public profiles are also scanned to match the age of the user with the content they post.

• The balance between collecting data and maintaining privacy is a challenge that needs to be worked through together with industry and regulators.

Age Restrictions

• Users below 18 years old have a more restricted app experience.

• Users below 16 by default cannot go viral, use instant messaging features, or live streaming features.

• Parents have tools available to control their teenagers' experience.

Giving People an Audience

TikTok has given millions of people an audience they never thought they would have before.

Content Creators

• TikTok has created a platform for millions of people who never thought they would be content creators.

• Many creators on TikTok have gained audiences they never had before.

# STEM Content and Human Addiction

In this section, the speaker discusses the popularity of STEM content on their platform and the issue of human addiction to technology.

STEM Content Popularity

• Over 116 billion views globally for STEM content on their platform.

• Testing a feed dedicated solely to STEM content.

Human Addiction to Technology

• The internet is good at activating our animal instincts, leading to addictive behavior.

• The company's goal is not to maximize time spent on the platform but rather promote a healthy balance with screen time.

Addressing Addiction

• Proactively sending videos to users who spend too much time on the platform telling them to get off.

• Building tools that limit screen time for users under 18 years old, including default limits and customizable settings.

• Encouraging parents to have conversations with their teenagers about developing healthy habits with screens.

# The Importance of a Healthy Relationship with the Product

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of having a healthy relationship between customers and products from a commercial point of view.

The Benefits of a Healthy Relationship

• A healthy relationship between customers and products is always best for long-term retention.

• Unhealthy habits can lead to dropping the product at some point.

• Everything in moderation is key.

# Misconceptions about Chinese Standards on Children's App Usage

In this section, the speaker addresses misconceptions about Chinese standards on children's app usage.

Comparison with US Standards

• Under 14-year-old experience in China is often compared to under 13-year-old experience in the US.

• Under 13-year-old experience in the US is more restricted than under 14-year-old experience in China.

• Every single piece of content for under 13s in the US is vetted by third-party child safety experts.

# Addressing Sexualized Content on TikTok

In this section, the speaker talks about addressing sexualized content on TikTok.

Community Guidelines

• Sexualized content that violates community guidelines will be removed from users' experiences if they are below a certain age.

• Safety, especially for teenagers, is taken extremely seriously by TikTok.

• The mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy while ensuring safety.

# Battling Dangerous Challenges on TikTok

In this section, the speaker discusses how dangerous challenges are not allowed on TikTok and how resources are invested to identify and remove them from the platform.

Proactive Measures Against Dangerous Challenges

• Dangerous challenges are violative according to community guidelines.

• Resources are proactively invested to identify and remove dangerous challenges from the platform.

• TikTok redirects users to a safety resource page if they search for dangerous challenges on the platform.

# Content Moderation on TikTok

In this section, the speaker talks about content moderation on TikTok and how it is done by machines initially before being overseen by a group based in Ireland.

Content Moderation Process

• A group based in Ireland oversees content moderation on TikTok.

• Tens of thousands of people are involved in content moderation, making it one of the most important cost items.

• Machines are used initially for content moderation before being overseen by humans.

# Instagram and TikTok's Impact on Mental Health

In this section, the CEO of TikTok discusses concerns about the impact of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok on mental health, particularly among teenagers.

Perceived Downsides of Social Media Platforms

• Concerns that social media platforms amplify insecurities, especially among teenage girls.

• Proactive measures taken by TikTok to remove mature content unsuitable for teenagers and redirect users to safety resources when searching certain terms.

• Acknowledgment that this is a problem that predates social media platforms.

Data Privacy Concerns

• Congressional concerns about data privacy due to TikTok being owned by a Chinese company.

• Project Texas: localizing American data to be stored on American soil by an American company overseen by American personnel.

• Balancing between protecting protected data while allowing for interoperability to continue to happen.

# Project Texas: Protecting User Data

In this section, the CEO of TikTok discusses Project Texas, which aims to protect user data from potential government access or interference.

Progress with Project Texas

• All new U.S. data is already stored in the Oracle Cloud infrastructure.

• No clear timeline for completion given.

# Chinese Government Interference

In this section, the interviewer asks about the possibility of Chinese government interference in an American election through TikTok and how the company is addressing this concern.

Safety and Transparency

• TikTok's four commitments are safety, freedom of expression, free from government manipulation, and transparency.

• Third-party reviewers are allowed to review TikTok's source code to ensure that design areas that could lead to hypothetical scenarios like Chinese government interference cannot happen on their platform.

• Researchers can study the output or content on TikTok's platform using research tools provided by the company.

• Third parties monitor TikTok. If they find out about any government interference, they will disclose it.

# The Future of TikTok

In this section, the interviewer asks about what Tick Tock could be in five years.

Window of Discovery

• There is a huge benefit to the world when people can discover new things on TikTok beyond dancing and singing.

• People are learning science content, stem content, cooking recipes, golfing tips etc.

# Opportunities for Discovery

In this section, the speaker talks about the opportunities that exist on TikTok and how it has given a voice to everyday people. The speaker also discusses the potential for AI generative content to help creators be even more creative.

Giving a Voice to Everyday People

• TikTok has given everyday people a platform to be discovered.

• Maintaining this platform is important.

• There is a huge opportunity for Discovery in connecting people and communities together.

AI Generative Content

• New technology like AI generative content can help people create even more creative content.

• Collaboration between people and AI can unleash creativity in new ways.

Connecting People and Communities Together

• Bridges need to be built to connect people and communities together.

• This could include products or commerce.

• 5 million small businesses in the US benefit from TikTok today, but there is potential for that number to grow even higher globally.

# Tick-Tock Star

In this section, the interviewer asks the speaker about his experience on TikTok as a creator himself.

Personal Experience on TikTok

• The speaker became somewhat of a TikTok star himself due to his experience in Congress.

• Some of his videos have gone viral.

• The interviewer asks if they can take a selfie together for TikTok.

# Conclusion

In this section, the interviewer thanks the speaker for sharing his vision and hopes that it comes true.

Thanking the Speaker

• The interviewer thanks the speaker for coming and sharing his vision.

• The interviewer believes that he is one of the most influential and powerful people in the world.

• The interviewer hopes that what he talked about will come true.