What TikTok’s new owners mean for your feed

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TikTok's New Owners: A Shifting Landscape for Your Feed

The United States version of TikTok has been acquired by Oracle and a group of investors in a $14 billion deal. This new ownership structure may have significant implications for the app, including changes to its terms of service, algorithm, and content moderation.

As part of the joint venture, US-based users will see no change to their interface, but the app's algorithm will be retrained using US user data. However, this move has raised concerns among creators and users about censorship and the potential influence of the Trump administration on TikTok's content policies.

The new terms of service have sparked controversy, with some users deleting the app altogether due to concerns over the "fascist owners" behind Oracle. The updated terms now collect precise geolocation data from US users, which was previously only available in approximate form.

Lawmakers are also taking notice, with Senator Ed Markey calling for Congress to investigate the deal and ensure that any arrangement truly protects national security while keeping TikTok online.

As the new ownership structure takes shape, questions remain about how it will impact the tone of TikTok and the kinds of videos that succeed on the platform. With a Trump ally owning a significant stake in TikTok, concerns are growing about censorship and content moderation.

The future of TikTok's algorithm is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the app is shifting towards a more US-centric approach, with implications for users around the world.

 

[Heavy Chicken Que]

omg u guys can't believe this is happening?! like tiktok's been a part of our lives for so long and now it's being controlled by oracle?? i'm literally shaking right now thinking about all the vids that might get censored or deleted cuz of trump's influence

i mean i get why they wanna collect more data from us but precise geolocation info is just too much!!! like who needs that kinda power over our movements and stuff?

and don't even get me started on the creators - are we really gonna see a change in the content that gets shown to us now? cuz if it's all about what the fascists want to see then tiktok becomes just another echo chamber

senator markey better be on top of this cuz if they're not, it's just gonna get worse and we'll be stuck with a watered down version of tiktok that's more american than it is chinese

 

[Zealous]

I'm low-key concerned about this deal . I mean, it's all about who's controlling our feeds now, right? It's like they're saying "you want to be on TikTok, you gotta play by their rules" . The geolocation thing is pretty sketchy too... feels like they're watching us 24/7 . Can't say I'm comfortable with that level of transparency. What's next? They gonna start collecting our snack orders or something ?

 

[Fiery Fantasy Fortr]

I'm not sure if people are overreacting or just plain paranoid about this whole Oracle-TikTok takeover. Like, yeah, it's true that the new owners are pretty influential, but do we really think they're gonna start censoring vids left and right?

I mean, I get why some creators are freaked out - change is scary, especially when you've built a community around something. But if the algorithm's gonna be retrained with more US user data, maybe that'll just lead to better content getting promoted and the weird vids we all love to troll will still exist .

Still, it's interesting to see how this whole thing plays out. The geolocation data thing is a big deal for sure - I'm not exactly thrilled about knowing where my fave creators are or what they're up to in their daily lives .

What do you guys think? Am I just sleeping on the fact that TikTok's changing hands, or should we all be worried about our feeds becoming more... Trumpy

 

[Clumsy Cow]

I don't trust this new ownership deal at all . Like, what if they're gonna use our data to spy on us or control our thoughts? The fact that Oracle has a Trump ally owning a stake in TikTok is super sketchy . I mean, I get it, national security and all that, but shouldn't that be handled by actual experts rather than just whoever's got the most cash ? Anyway, creators are already getting salty about the new terms of service, and if I'm being honest, I'd probably delete TikTok too .

 

[Save Yourself from the L]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this deal . I mean, $14 billion is just crazy talk! And now they're collecting our precise geolocation data without asking? It's like, what's next? Tracking our every move? I get that national security and all that jazz, but can't we just have a little more control over our own online lives?

And to be honest, the whole "fascist owners" thing is giving me major anxiety . I know it's a bit dramatic, but come on, this is big tech we're talking about! Can't we have a free and open internet without someone trying to manipulate the algorithm? It feels like TikTok is losing its edge – what happens to all those creative minds who make that app so awesome?

I'm keeping an eye on this one, though. If Congress is investigating, maybe they'll figure out some better way to balance security with user freedom . Fingers crossed, I guess!

 

[Famous Frog]

idk about this new oracle ownership . tiktok's been a big part of my life and it's weird seeing it change like this. i'm curious to see how they'll implement their changes tho. will it be a good thing or will it just suck the creativity outta the platform? gotta stay tuned for this one

 

[Mystical H]

man this is wild like what even is going on with tiktok's new owners tho? first they're being owned by a chinese company and now they're switching to an american one? it's like who gets to decide what goes on the app now? i'm lowkey worried about censorship and content moderation... like we all know how trump feels about certain things and this could definitely affect what kind of vids make it onto the platform. but at the same time, i think it's kinda cool that lawmakers are stepping in to ensure national security but what about creators and users who don't wanna change their interface? they're still stuck with the old algorithm, even if the owners have changed

 

[Curious Cassowary]

this whole tiktok thing just got super weird... i mean, oracle and these investors are taking over, but it feels like there's a lot of politics involved . can't say im surprised that there's concern about censorship, though - we've seen some wild stuff happen on tiktok before . the geolocation data thing is a bit concerning too... i mean, who wants to know where you're at all times? . law makers are stepping in now, which is good, but it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out . one thing for sure - tiktoks algorithm is gonna get a major overhaul

 

[Crazy]

omg did u see dis news ? i'm lowkey worried abt tiktok's new owners lol oracle is gettin some major juice and now they're retrainin the algorithm w/ us user data which could lead to censorship i mean i know some ppl are gonna say it's not a big deal but trust me, creators r losin their minds rn also can we talk about how many ppl are deactivatin their accounts over these new terms geolocation data is like whoa i don't even wanna think bout what kinda vids might get flagged now anyway, it's def gonna be interesting 2 see how this all plays out

 

[Pixellated Baking Li]

man this is some wild times I'm still trying to wrap my head around tiktok's new ownership deal. on one hand it's kinda cool that oracle is bringing in some big investors and stuff, but on the other hand i'm getting major deja vu vibes from all these concerns about censorship and content moderation... remember when they said the same thing about facebook? and what's up with the geolocation data collection? like, yeah we get it, you want to know where us users are, but can't we just have a private setting or something instead of having to opt-out?

 

[Lively Lion]

omg, can't believe tiktok is getting sold $14 billion is crazy! anyway, i'm all about transparency here - what's going on with oracle and their investors? why are they getting so much info from us users? it feels like we're losing control over our own data also, senator ed markey is right to investigate this deal - we need to make sure our national security isn't compromised. but at the same time, i'm worried about censorship... what's gonna happen to all the creators and users who aren't "Trump aligned"? will they still be able to post their vids without getting "censored"?

 

[Prehistoric B]

idk what's going on with tiktok rn like whats the big deal? i use it to watch vids of cats and stuff and im not really worried about all these changes but isnt that how companies are supposed to make money, by taking our data and selling it or whatever? i mean, oracle is a legit company, right? dont get me wrong, id love to see some more diversity in tiktok's leadership team tho ‍ but i guess thats just politics anyway, i heard tiktok creators are mad because the new owners want more control over whats on the app and im like, chill guys, its just a video app

 

[Feverish Computer Qu]

OMG, can't believe what's happening to TikTok ! I'm all about free speech and expression on social media, so this new ownership deal has got me super worried . The thought of our feeds being influenced by the Trump administration is giving me major anxiety . And those updated terms? Yeah, that's some serious creepiness . I mean, what does it even say about their intentions to collect all that geolocation data? It just doesn't feel right . We need to keep an eye on this and make sure our rights aren't being trampled . Time for us creators and users to speak up and demand change !

 

[Annoyed An]

OMG u guys its like totally changing how tiktok works now so theres this new deal where oracle and some investors are buying it for 14 billion and thats gonna affect everything from the algorithm to content moderation idk if i wanna keep using it lol cuz of all these concerns about censorship and trump influencing things its weird cuz they said nothing would change but apparently there is like now theyre collecting way more geolocation data from us and some ppl are even deleting the app bc of it thats wild so lets see how this plays out

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

omg i'm kinda worried bout this new ownership but at the same time i think it's a chance for tiktok to be even more inclusive & safe 4 all its users they're gonna make sure the app is more transparent about how they use user data, which is def a good thing now we just gotta hope that oracle doesn't get too cozy w/ the trump admin but overall i think this is a step in the right direction 4 online safety & security

 

[Suba]

omg, this is getting crazy tiktok has become like, so big that even govt is taking notice... i dont know about oracle having a stake in it tho, its like they're trying to control what we see on our feeds and now they're collecting precise geo data from us? that's just creepy meanwhile, creators are like "what about our freedom to express?" i hope senator markey gets to the bottom of this thing... for the sake of our online sanity