How does TikTok’s uncanny algorithm decide what you see? We tested it on three people

How does TikTok’s uncanny algorithm decide what you see? We tested it on three people

A week-long experiment by the Guardian showcased how widely each person’s experience and ‘For You’ page varied

Dance videos, viral pranks, adorable pets, beauty tutorials and 60-second recipes. A scroll through TikTok’s “For You” page offers a steady stream of strange and delightful content that can feel both chaotic and somehow perfectly suited to your tastes.

But how exactly does TikTok’s algorithm decide what to serve up, and why do you get that eerie feeling it knows you better than you know yourself?

Create a brand new account using their real identities (even if they already had one)

Open their “For You” page at the same time every morning

Make a note of the first 10 videos the algorithm served up

Repeat for seven days

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