This is impossible without working at TikTok, and being intimately aware of their algorithm, neither of which I am. But I would lend credence to this saying because it seems to be so obvious to the users of the platform. They learn quite a lot about how it works through observation alone.
Agreed, without working there, you're just speculating.
Given the possiblity for abuse, and the value from abusing it, I assume the worst: they are abusing it and probably worse than either of us can imagine.
Apologies for the lack of civility, but anyone who says that without irony is an idiot. Why? Because they are granting legitimacy to a multinational over the words of actual people.
Claiming that "the algorithm is always right and therefore you must be lying" is as close as thoughtcrime as one can get. When in doubt (and I see no evidence here), side with the human and not with the algorithm!
The enshittification of tiktok is almost complete. The famed recommendation algorithm that would figure out and show you want is there but it doesn't generate money. At this point, it is the exploitation phase of the users.
