TikTok knowingly lied about how its algorithm led to a suicide
The latest allegations could deepen questions about how the platform prioritizes safety.
In a scandalous revelation, TikTok has been found to have deliberately withheld algorithm safety features from approximately 15 million users in 2022, in order to test the impact of guardrails on daily active user (DAU) metrics. The internal report, leaked to Bloomberg, disclosed that a 16-year-old was placed randomly in the unprotected control group, leading to an influx of suicide and self-harm videos on his feed shortly before his untimely demise.
Despite claiming user safety as a top priority, TikTok continues to invest in Trust and Safety measures. The app's notorious privacy policy changes have sparked concerns in recent months, but this new information regarding its handling of user safety might make even the most committed users reevaluate their ongoing presence on the platform.
Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
