Where will TikTok refugees go if the social media platform is eventually banned? Can a new platform replace the app if it isn’t sold Northeastern University experts say the answers lie in one thing — who has the best algorithm. TikTok’s unparalleled success lies in its unique recommendation system, says John Wihbey, professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern. “The secret sauce with TikTok is the algorithm,” he says. “The algorithm just seems to be able to hack into our brains in a way that is super effective.”
Platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Snapchat offer similar short video formats, but they lack the defining feature that makes TikTok so effective, Wihbey says. TikTok’s algorithm distinguishes itself by focusing on a content graph rather than a social graph, he says. Traditionally, social media platforms prioritized connections between users to deliver content, but TikTok revolutionized this approach by exclusively analyzing user interests and behavior — what people watch, like and share, as well as how much time they spend on each video.
