TikTok and Meta risked safety to win algorithm arms race, whistleblowers say

BBC News
March 16, 2026
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1 min read

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The Bottom Line

TikTok and Meta knowingly promoted harmful content to boost engagement through outrage-driven algorithms.

How This Affects You

Your social media feeds may contain more harmful content designed to trigger emotional responses and increase screen time.

AI Summary

Whistleblowers allege that TikTok and Meta compromised user safety in their competition to develop superior algorithms. The companies reportedly permitted more harmful content on users' feeds while being aware that their algorithms were driven by outrage.

What's Being Done

Whistleblowers have provided testimony to the BBC about the companies' practices.

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