“Heated videos don’t come with a label to show that they’ve been boosted by TikTok like ads or sponsored posts do, according to the report.”
TikTok staff can “heat” chosen videos onto For You pages, bypassing the algorithm. TikTok says only .002% of videos in For You feeds get the treatment. Its internal document puts heated videos at 1-2 percent of total daily views, and some employees heated their friends, partners and their own accounts. An unlabeled boost is an ad that skips the disclosure.