TikTok's Algorithm Control Shifts to American Coalition Led by Oracle
Recent international discussions have emerged around reports suggesting that ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, is considering transferring control of the platform's algorithms to a new coalition of investors led by the American firm Oracle.
This move aligns with political and commercial arrangements mandated by the U.S. administration under the banners of "protecting national security" and "ensuring data integrity." However, it raises fundamental questions about who truly holds the power to control what content is visible and what remains hidden in the digital space.
* Experts Warn of Algorithms as Tools for Public Opinion Manipulation
Dr. Mohamed Mohsen Ramadan, head of the artificial intelligence and cybersecurity unit at the Arab Center for Research and Studies, explained that algorithms have evolved beyond mere technical codes. They can now promote specific content or marginalize other voices, create fictitious "trends," and reshape collective consciousness without direct human intervention.
Ramadan cautioned against the dangers of "silent censorship," which limits access to content and reshapes public interest by drowning political material in entertainment content. This threat is difficult to legally prove but is highly effective in influencing public opinion.
He also emphasized that transferring oversight to American companies does not guarantee privacy protection and exposes user data to U.S. surveillance laws, effectively turning users into "raw material" in a geopolitical digital conflict.
General Khaled El-Shazly, assistant to the Egyptian Minister of Interior and former director of investigations in Sohag, stated that using algorithms to serve specific political agendas represents a new form of digital discrimination and algorithmic colonialism. He noted that the real danger lies in diminishing awareness rather than limiting speech, as this is often invisible and difficult to attribute.
El-Shazly concluded by asserting that the developments surrounding TikTok are not merely a commercial agreement but a new chapter in the battle for global consciousness control, where digital platforms have become battlegrounds, and algorithms act as "invisible soldiers" in this conflict.
