By bizn_fun 
This question is at the heart of the tussle over TikTok’s US operations. Its algorithm is the “secret sauce” that has driven the app’s huge popularity.
A former social media executive previously told the BBC that other companies have tried to re-create the algorithm, from Instagram’s Reels to YouTube’s Shorts, but they’re just not as good.
“Generally, the one who introduces the technology just knows how to do it better.”
ByteDance had initially refused to part with its prized formula – a stance backed by the Chinese government. But last September, Beijing’s top cybersecurity regulator signalled that Beijing could allow ByteDance to license the algorithm to a US company owner.
According to the deal, the algorithm will be retrained on US user data only, which will be protected to meet American regulations.
The algorithm will be “secured in Oracle’s US cloud environment”, TikTok said.
The impact of this shift will soon be felt by the millions of American TikTok users.
Experts say this might mean a slower, lighter app that operates differently from the global version. The algorithm might also not recommend content as successfully as the current platform.