The US version of TikTok is being updated with a new “local, community-focused feed,” according to a blog post shared by TikTok’s joint venture USDS.
The local feed is designed to allow TikTok users to “discover and connect with content, businesses and services” wherever they are. Available from a tab on the TikTok home screen, the feed features content related to travel, events, restaurants and shopping, plus posts from nearby small businesses and local creators.
TikTok US says posts are selected based on location, content topic and when the content was posted. TikTok users who want to access the local feed will need to turn on precise location.
“This approach is in line with how many modern apps use location today, giving people the ability to enable it when they want more relevant local experiences while still being in control,” the blog post says.
Exact location is off by default and the feature is optional and the location is only transmitted when the app is active. Location data is “protected in TikTok USDS JV’s secure environment.”
TikTok US says it wants to “make sure TikTok is useful, locally relevant and trusted.” A similar “Nearby Feeds” feature was rolled out for TikTok users in Europe back in December.
TikTok’s US operations were transferred to TikTok USDS’ majority American business in late January, and the transition has not been smooth. TikTok users were unable to upload videos and their posts were flagged as inappropriate for recommendations, an issue that US-based TikTok said caused a power outage in its data center.
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is 80.1 percent owned by US and global investors, including Abu Dhabi-based Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX. The three companies each own 15 percent as managing investors, and other US stakeholders include the Dell Family Office and affiliates of the Susquehanna International Group. TikTok parent company ByteDance continues to hold a 19.9 percent stake.
The U.S. version of TikTok is run by a seven-member, mostly American board of directors, with Adam Presser, TikTok’s former global head of operations, serving as CEO.
Under the contract, the company handles US data protection, content moderation and algorithm security. TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is retrained and updated on US user data and has been secured in Oracle’s cloud environment.
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