What Next: TBD | Who Owns TikTok Now?

2025-10-03

TikTok exploded to popularity not by giving users what they asked for—but by figuring out what users really were interested in, and serving that. What happens to this algorithm if Bytedance cedes control of it to the U.S.? Guest: Emily Baker White, senior writer at Forbes and the author of Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Sub...

TikTok exploded to popularity not by giving users what they asked for—but by figuring out what users really were interested in, and serving that.

What happens to this algorithm if Bytedance cedes control of it to the U.S.?

Guest: Emily Baker White, senior writer at Forbes and the author of Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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