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I was a moderator for the TikTok platform for over a year. I won’t give away any secrets or inside information, but I will say there’s no better algorithm out there. It operates with near-perfect precision, constantly learning and adapting to user preferences in real time.
Unlike traditional social networks that rely heavily on follower counts or popularity metrics, TikTok’s system prioritizes relevance, ensuring that even the most niche creators have a shot at viral success. However, plenty of people misunderstand how it works and use terms like “shadowbanning” when there is so much that goes into making such a great service.
The TikTok Algorithm Is Constantly Testing to Get Better
The TikTok algorithm works like a smart, always learning system that quickly adjusts to what each user likes in order to show them highly personalized content. At its heart, this advanced system uses artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, to keep users watching and engaged by showing them videos they are most likely to enjoy.
When someone uploads a new video, TikTok’s algorithm starts by testing it with a small, random group of 300 to 500 users. This first test helps the algorithm collect important data, letting it see how people react and figure out which audiences might like the video.
Moderators do take part in helping to make sure videos are shown to the right people, and it’s due to this high-level curation process that you keep seeing entertaining videos. If the video does well at this early stage, the system then tries it with bigger groups, spreading it further based on positive feedback.
Every little thing a user does sends a signal that helps the system learn. Important engagement signals it tracks include likes, comments, shares, and saves. One of the strongest signs of interest is the video completion rate, and this has a big impact on what gets recommended next. Even small actions like skipping a video, pausing, or hovering over content help the algorithm understand what users like.
It’s always trying to give you what you want and testing to see if your current tastes have changed. You get what you watch, and when you decide you’re tired of it, the algorithm will attempt to send you other things you may like.
It does it so well that I feel a noticeable difference when I watch TikTok instead of other short video apps like Facebook Reels or YouTube Shorts. It’s why so many people reacted so harshly when a ban came up in the United States. It’s too good an algorithm just to get replaced, and does not have competition that matches it yet; they’re just alternatives that fall short.
One of the biggest misconceptions that continues to grow is the term “shadowban.” In my time as a moderator for TikTok, I never saw this happen, but I have seen a common factor when it comes to people who think they are. The quality of their videos normally goes down, they start getting too edgy or too toxic, or their audience is just growing tired.
I don’t know ifthis actually happens on social media, but it could. I’d say it’s normally nothing to do with the app purposefully blocking your content, but more of the idea that the creator is not providing content that keeps their users engaged. Creators tend to try to blame everything except themselves, when producers for television and movies know they have to adapt and not just make the same content or content that alienates viewers.
I would say the vast majority of the time, no one is shadowbanned. I’ve never seen it happen, and no app would purposefully block someone popular, because that always makes money. Some videos get taken down, but those videos broke the rules or did things that would haunt you.
Companies don’t target people just because they have an edgy point of view or a political affiliation. Trust me when I say TikTok is just as fun for conservatives as it is for liberals; you’re only getting the content you like as long as it’s not against the guidelines. There are so many more types of content than you realize, and you’re not seeing it because it doesn’t match your interests.
If you’re wondering why people get tired of your work, I’d say to imagine watching the same cartoon over and over. It gets old and boring, and you want to see something different for a while. You’ll come back to that cartoon, but you’re just kind of tired.
As a former moderator, I would say that a good rule of thumb is to assume the problem comes from your content not being interesting enough or just played out. Shadowbans are just an excuse to not read your comments, and you see that there are many people who are tired of seeing what you’re doing.
There’s nothing wrong with taking longer to make better content. You’ll find that you’re going to see a lot of viewers come back because the quality has improved, or you tried something new.
It Matters When You Report Someone, It Just Takes Time
Reporting content is not pointless; it is very important in shaping TikTok. Knowing what content to report is a good reason to readthe Community Guidelines. The goal is to create an interesting, varied, and safe platform for its large audience. It’s no secret that reporting a video enough times will send it to a human moderator who checks and makes sure it is safe. This keeps you from seeing graphic, dangerous, offensive, or unsafe material.
Don’t believe people who say bots check every single reported post. You would be surprised by how many of those videos are going to people who have to watch the awful things others want to post.
Sure, there are some people who abuse the system and send good creators to “TikTok jail.” However, it’s one of those things where there’s no easy way to make everyone happy. If you fail to keep users safe by not putting these measures into place, you’re going to have many users scarred for life by videos of mutilation and abuse. Keep in mind that there are thousands of videos uploaded every day. It takes time to watch them, and the service only benefits people who make sure regular users aren’t put in harm’s way.
The best thing I could say about this is that there’s no perfect solution to reports, but they are getting checked. Just keep doing it, and you’re going to see a safer app for everyone, and that includes other apps, too.
TikTok Is Just Better Than the Competition
TikTok’s algorithm stands out because it is excellent at focusing on how relevant the content is rather than how popular the creator is. I’ve seen plenty of services that just show you popular people because those services assume those people are good or want to show favoritism. TikTok doesn’t show you its most famous users unless those users make content you’re likely interested in.
This creates a space where even brand-new users can quickly get noticed and receive engagement. Unlike other platforms that rely heavily on follower numbers, TikTok’s system makes sure every video has a chance to reach a large audience, as long as it connects with viewers when being tested. This unique way of handling content discovery means that an engaging video, no matter who posted it, can be quickly recognized and pushed onto users' For You Pages.
TikTok also uses content details to boost engagement and discoverability. The algorithm looks at things like captions, hashtags, trending sounds, and effects to sort videos and match them with the right user interests. Content that uses popular sounds or joins in on trending challenges has a better chance of gaining attention, since the algorithm quickly spots and pushes such videos. This way, the content stays relevant, and you’re not seeing something popular from years ago just because it has a high viewer count.
According toSocial Insiderin 2024, TikTok has an engagement rate of 2.34%, which is much higher than Instagram Reels at 1.48% and YouTube Shorts at 0.91%. It also sparks three times more discussions than Reels, which proves it is better at driving user interaction. This is probably the main reasonMeta’s apps want to bring TikTok down.
I have seen many interesting videos while moderating for the platform, but I can say that TikTok is not the kind of company you should hate. From what I saw, it never took sides for political reasons, and I don’t believe the accusations thrown their way by politicians or users, because I never saw anything like it. It’sstill on Apple’s storefor now, and while youwon’t get thousands of dollarsfor having a phone with the app if it shuts down, you should still take advantage of the app while it is up.
At the end of the day, TikTok’s algorithm feels like a revolution in how content is discovered, consumed, and moderated. While no system is perfect, the platform’s ability to balance personalization with discovery, engagement with safety, and creativity with relevance is unmatched at this point.
