Uncovering TikTok’s manipulation of viral content: A look at the mysterious ‘Heating’ button

According to sources and records reviewed by Forbes, TikTok and ByteDance staff have been using a manual push known as “heating” to guarantee that particular videos acquire a set number of video views. The business asserts that viral videos are a result of its For You Page, a personalized feed sorted by an algorithm that anticipates your preferences. The truth is more nuanced than that, though. TikTok and ByteDance employees also choose up particular videos and use heating button to spread them more widely. An internal document states that heating, which accounts for 1% to 2% of daily total views, is the process of promoting videos into the For You feed through operational involvement to achieve a certain amount of views.

While other tech companies have made it clear when they use similar strategies, TikTok has never publicly acknowledged when it uses heating. For example , Google and Meta have worked with public health and election organizations to disseminate information about COVID-19 and assist users in finding polling locations while making it apparent that their efforts are promotional in nature. But according to reports, TikTok has allegedly used heating to draw brands and influencers and entice them into partnerships by inflating their view counts. Due to this, some influencers and companies have seen an increase in views at the expense of other users with whom TikTok has not established business ties.

Heating shows that the videos on the For You page are not always there because TikTok thinks you’ll enjoy them; occasionally, they are there because TikTok wants a specific company or creative to receive more views. Employees have also violated corporate policy by exploiting their heating rights to heat their own or their spouses’ accounts. When choosing which content to promote, TikTok and ByteDance employees and contractors used a great deal of judgment.

TikTok contains a ton of heating-related documentation, however it is disjointedly arranged among many teams and geographies. The MINT Heating Playbook, MINT Heating Operation Policy 101, Heating Quota Guidelines, TikTok Heating Policy, and U.S. Heating Strategy Guidelines are just a few of the texts that claim to regulate heating.

According to these documents, heating was initially employed by TikTok and ByteDance to diversify TikTok’s content, but it has since evolved into a tool for luring influencers, promoting varied material, and disseminating critical information.

In response to inquiries about heating, a TikTok representative explained that they promote select films to diversity material, introduce well-known people to the TikTok community, and that the approved content only makes up.002% of the videos in For You feeds.

Overall, this shows that TikTok and ByteDance have been modifying the For You page and the content that users see using manual techniques. This calls into question the notion of a democratic platform and casts doubt on the openness and responsibility of social media companies.

There are concerns about the validity of TikTok’s algorithm and the company’s capacity to monitor the content that it promotes because it is impossible to determine which videos are there due to an algorithm and which ones are there due to a manual push due to the absence of explicit labeling.

Twitter’s Blue Check Mark System Undergoes Major Changes: Users and Businesses to Pay Up for Verification

What impact does Meta have on US politicians in their fight against Tiktok?

52 US firms, including corporate giants Boeing and Netflix are in the biggest business mission to Vietnam

GSM Invests in Be Group to Bring Vinfast Electric Vehicles to Ride-hailing Services in Vietnam

Valencia Fallas: A Spectacular Celebration of Art, Fire, and Tradition

The Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank: Lessons Learned and Risks Highlighted in the Current Financial System

Rejected by Sharks, Returned as a Shark: Jamie Siminoff’s Remarkable Journey to Success

Amazon to Lay Off 9,000 More Workers Amid Cost-Cutting Efforts

Global Banking Crisis: What’s Next After Credit Suisse’s Collapse and US Bank Failures?

TikTok faces increasing government scrutiny and bans around the world

techbiz.network jackma

Jack Ma’s inspiring startup stories and lessons learned: How to overcome the toughest challenges!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAT-Nh11e58Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time. Born in Hangzhou, …
techbiz.network Jack Ma returns to China Photo: REUTERS/Charles

Alibaba founder Jack Ma’s return to China enhances Chinese entrepreneurs’ confidence in the domestic market as pressure from the US market mounts

After a year of uncertainty and rumors surrounding his whereabouts, Alibaba founder Jack Ma has returned to China. Ma’s sudden …
techbiz.network Jack Ma returns to China Photo: REUTERS/Charles

Alibaba founder Jack Ma’s return to China enhances Chinese entrepreneurs’ confidence in the domestic market as pressure from the US market mounts

After a year of uncertainty and rumors surrounding his whereabouts, Alibaba founder Jack Ma has returned to China. Ma’s sudden …
techbiz.network twitter blue checkmarks

Twitter’s Blue Check Mark System Undergoes Major Changes: Users and Businesses to Pay Up for Verification

Twitter has been a platform for a range of users, from individuals to businesses, to connect with each other and …
techbiz.network Las Fallas Valencia

Valencia Fallas: A Spectacular Celebration of Art, Fire, and Tradition

Every year, the Spanish city of Valencia becomes a hub of excitement and activity as it celebrates one of the …
Credit: thuyishere.com vietnamese food

Vietnamese cuisine recognized by international chefs and media as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world

Vietnamese cuisine has gained a reputation as one of the healthiest and most delicious cuisines in the world. With its …
techbiz.network Las Fallas Valencia

Valencia Fallas: A Spectacular Celebration of Art, Fire, and Tradition

Every year, the Spanish city of Valencia becomes a hub of excitement and activity as it celebrates one of the …
techbiz.network travel to hong kong with free air tickets

Hong Kong Airlines Offers Free Round-Trip Economy Fare in Click & Go Promotion

Hong Kong Airlines has announced the launch of its Click & Go Promotion, offering a free round-trip Main Economy Fare ticket …
techbiz.network US companies in biggest mission to Vietnam

52 US firms, including corporate giants Boeing and Netflix are in the biggest business mission to Vietnam

Dozens of American companies are in Vietnam this week to explore local investment opportunities in one of the fastest-growing economies …
techbiz.network SBV collapse reasons and lessons learned

The Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank: Lessons Learned and Risks Highlighted in the Current Financial System

Silicon Valley Bank is a technology-focused bank that was founded in the United States in 1983 to provide financial services …
Talks with Leaders, Ep8: 1st AI Doctor Assistant in Vietnam provides 90+% correct diagnosis within 5s

Talks with Leaders, Ep8: 1st AI Doctor Assistant in Vietnam provides 90+% correct diagnosis within 5s

In this eighth episode, we’ll learn about VinBrain, a VinGroup subsidiary dedicated to developing AI and IoT technologies for …
techbiz.network blockchain meets metaverse

Talks with Leaders, Special episode: Blockchain meets Metaverse, featuring business leaders, investors, tech experts and global influencers

On November 14, 2021, the live webinar Blockchain meets Metaverse was successfully organized by TechBiz with the participation of …
techbiz.network AI working

Appointing AI Robot as CEO, a Chinese company’s Share Price Increases by 10%

In August 2022, the Chinese gaming company NetDragon Websoft appointed an “AI-powered virtual humanoid robot” named Tang Yu as the …
techbiz.network jackma

Jack Ma’s inspiring startup stories and lessons learned: How to overcome the toughest challenges!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAT-Nh11e58Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time. Born in Hangzhou, …

techbiz.network valentino joins metaverse

Valentino Joins the Metaverse: An Exciting Partnership with UNXD

Valentino, the iconic Italian fashion house, has announced its foray into the metaverse through a partnership with UNXD, the leading …

techbiz.network technical terms in crypto

Most popular technical terms in Crypto you should know about

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have taken the world by storm in recent years. This innovative technology has brought with it …

techbiz.network technical terms in crypto

Most popular technical terms in Crypto you should know about

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have taken the world by storm in recent years. This innovative technology has brought with it …

techbiz.network Las Fallas Valencia

Valencia Fallas: A Spectacular Celebration of Art, Fire, and Tradition

Every year, the Spanish city of Valencia becomes a hub of excitement and activity as it celebrates one of the …
techbiz.network AI working

Appointing AI Robot as CEO, a Chinese company’s Share Price Increases by 10%

In August 2022, the Chinese gaming company NetDragon Websoft appointed an “AI-powered virtual humanoid robot” named Tang Yu as …
techbiz.network jackma

Jack Ma’s inspiring startup stories and lessons learned: How to overcome the toughest challenges!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAT-Nh11e58Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time. Born in Hangzhou, …

techbiz.network tiktok banned in many countries

TikTok faces increasing government scrutiny and bans around the world

TikTok has faced bans in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. The reasons …

techbiz.network technical terms in crypto

Most popular technical terms in Crypto you should know about

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have taken the world by storm in recent years. This innovative technology has brought with it …

techbiz.network Las Fallas Valencia

Valencia Fallas: A Spectacular Celebration of Art, Fire, and Tradition

Every year, the Spanish city of Valencia becomes a hub of excitement and activity as it celebrates one of the …
Credit: thuyishere.com vietnamese food

Vietnamese cuisine recognized by international chefs and media as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world

Vietnamese cuisine has gained a reputation as one of the healthiest and most delicious cuisines in the world. With its …

techbiz.network US companies in biggest mission to Vietnam

52 US firms, including corporate giants Boeing and Netflix are in the biggest business mission to Vietnam

Dozens of American companies are in Vietnam this week to explore local investment opportunities in one of the fastest-growing economies …
techbiz.network SBV collapse reasons and lessons learned

The Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank: Lessons Learned and Risks Highlighted in the Current Financial System

Silicon Valley Bank is a technology-focused bank that was founded in the United States in 1983 to provide financial services …