Technologies

TikTok Signs Agreements With US Investors. What’s Next for Creators and Users?

The moves are being made so that the popular app can continue operating in the US.

Three major new investors, including two American groups, signed agreements with popular video app TikTok on Thursday, according to The New York Times. The app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, maintains a minority stake. The ramifications could be huge for the millions of creators and fans of the immensely popular short-video app. But at the moment, any future changes to the app are mostly unknown.

The part-American, part-global investor group includes tech giant Oracle, a California-based private equity fund called Silver Lake and the United Arab Emirates investment firm MGX. The joint venture will be governed by a new seven-member board of directors, with a majority of American members.

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The changes come as an attempt to comply with a federal law that would ban the app if it did not reduce its Chinese ownership. ByteDance was facing a Jan. 23 deadline. President Donald Trump had repeatedly delayed the enforcement of the ban.

For years, the US government has raised concerns about potential Chinese government access to data through TikTok’s parent company. In 2023, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said, «TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share US user data with the Chinese government. Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.»

In a memo obtained by media outlets this week, Chew told employees, «The US joint venture will be responsible for US data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance. It will also have the exclusive right and authority to provide assurances that content, software, and data for American users is secure.»

It’s estimated that TikTok has more than 170 million American users, as well as millions of creators, some of whom earn their living by making videos on the app.

Roll for the algorithm?

One of those creators is Jacob Pauwels, of the immensely popular «Roll for Sandwich» videos, where he rolls dice, Dungeons & Dragons-style, to determine what kind of sandwich he’s going to make. Millions of people regularly watch his videos on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms.

Pauwels said it was «stressful’ not knowing if TikTok — his largest platform — was going to be banned in the US. Now that the app’s fate seems a bit more secure, he said he still has concerns about American majority ownership of the brand.

«I do worry about possible issues with censorship that could arise,» Pauwels told CNET. «So many of the digital privacy concerns that have been cited as reasoning for the TikTok ban and forced sale of the platform can absolutely be applied to American companies like Meta, so I feel like there are definitely some other motivations driving those who have wanted to shut down the platform or shift its ownership.»

When it seemed a possibility that TikTok could be banned in the US, Pauwels made the decision to share his videos on other platforms.

«I have made a conscious effort to diversify my earnings across multiple platforms to ensure I am not overly reliant on the income stream from any particular one,» he said. «As ownership of TikTok changes, there is no guarantee that things will continue being the same status quo, but even if something like TikTok’s Creator Program were to go away, while it would be a substantial hit to my income and livelihood, it would no longer be career-ending.»

US consumers will have to adjust

Kelsey Chickering, principal analyst at global research and advisory firm Forrester, said TikTok’s algorithm definitely will change for US consumers.

«One of the most important questions in this deal has always been whether the algorithm would come with the sale, and the answer is ‘yes and no,'» Chickering said in a statement. «This US joint venture will have to retrain the recommendation algorithm on US user data — meaning the experience will feel different, and users will very likely notice.»

Simply stated, an algorithm is a method for predicting the type of content that consumers will enjoy. If you watch a number of TikTok recipe videos, the app will likely recommend more of those to you. TikTok and other content platforms use machine learning to analyze the content you like and then display more of that, aiming to keep you engaged on the app for as long as possible.

With US investors becoming involved in the US version of TikTok, Chickering said the data that the app analyzes will be different.

«While the algorithm may be the same in the US version, the data inputs are not,» Chickering told CNET. «If the US joint venture trains this US algorithm on US-only data, not global data, the content mix will naturally shift. Users might find their feeds feel less culturally edgy and far less globally minded.

«The algorithm is the heartbeat of TikTok’s addictive experience, and the jury’s out on whether a US-only TikTok will replicate the magic of the original experience,» she said. «If it doesn’t, creators and consumers may flock to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, Dec. 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? The first two Across clues stumped me, but I was able to fill in the Down answers and solve it eventually. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Only U.S. president born in the month of September
Answer: TAFT

5A clue: «I’ll ___ it» («Fine, I guess»)
Answer: ALLOW

7A clue: Material for a reusable diaper
Answer: CLOTH

8A clue: Land of Seoul and Pyongyang
Answer: KOREA

9A clue: One might be «Forever»
Answer: STAMP

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Metal pins on a bulletin board
Answer: TACKS

2D clue: Separate into portions
Answer: ALLOT

3D clue: Fauna’s counterpart
Answer: FLORA

4D clue: ___ pole (symbolic carving)
Answer: TOTEM

6D clue: Sound from a fly swatter
Answer: WHAP

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 21, #454

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 21, No. 454.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. It will help if you know a certain US state and its sports teams. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Throw it or hit it.

Green group hint: Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain.

Blue group hint: On the ice.

Purple group hint: Not empty.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Sports projectiles.

Green group: Oklahoma teams.

Blue group: PWHL teams.

Purple group: Full ____.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is sports projectiles. The four answers are ball, Frisbee, puck and shuttlecock.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Oklahoma teams. The four answers are Cowboys, Golden Hurricane, Sooners and Thunder.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is PWHL teams. The four answers are Frost, Goldeneyes, Sceptres and Victoire.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is full ____. The four answers are back, count, house and time.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 21, #924

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Dec. 21 #924

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. If you need help sorting the words into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Time for tea.

Green group hint: Shhhh!

Blue group hint: Come out.

Purple group hint: Don’t let that fall!