TikTok taking steps to 'wall off' its operations from Chinese influence, but experts are skeptical

Even as Chinese-owned TikTok takes steps to show its algorithm publicly and wall off its operations from Chinese influence, experts are expressing skepticism and note that China will still control the app's algorithm no matter how public they make it.

According to Cameron Hickey, the CEO of the nonprofit National Conference on Citizenship, seeing the algorithm doesn't necessarily translate to understanding what it does because of the complexity of the platform.

Even if TikTok made its entire algorithm open source, its influence and impact on users may not be known.

There are also frequent code updates to contend with, which are difficult to keep up with.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) wants to ban the app in the U.S. It has already been banned from government devices.

While Gen Z might never forgive Republicans if they ban TikTok, maybe one day they'll understand it was for their own good.