Chinese tech giants share details of their algorithms with regulators

Chinese tech giants have shared details of their algorithms with regulators in the country, CNBC reports.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) published a list of 30 algorithms, with brief descriptions of their purposes from companies including tech giants such as Alibaba and Tencent.

According to the document, ByteDance’s algorithm used for the Chinese version of TikTok is employed to recommend videos, products and services potentially of interest to users. The system analyses behavioral data such as clicks and likes.

Taobao’s marketplace system is used to recommend content on the homepage and in other parts of the app based on a user’s historical search data.

From the published information, it is unclear how deeply the CAC has penetrated into the details of the tech giants’ algorithms. The firms listed did not comment on the regulator’s publication.

In August 2021, China unveiled rules on the use of recommendation algorithms by technology companies.

In January 2022, Chinese authorities approved the regulatory framework for recommendation systems. It came into effect on March 1.

In April, CAC announced a probe into the tech giants for adherence to the new rules.

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