Chinese microblogging platform Weibo has adjusted its algorithms to better reflect “public values”, as tech firms in the country race to meet a deadline to fix so-called algorithm issues amid an ongoing regulatory crackdown.
Weibo, dubbed China’s answer to X, said on Sunday that it has optimised and upgraded the algorithms for Hot Search, its trending topics section, to “further strengthen the public attributes and correct value orientation of the list”, according to a statement published on the platform by its administrative account.
Algorithms are the technology that underpin the recommendation functions of most apps and websites.
The platform said the adjustment came after it received user feedback that some topics have “insufficient value for public discourse”. The adjustments include the addition of a “public index” that will conduct an in-depth assessment of public attributes of so-called hot content.
Weibo has been under fire in recent years for having too many trending topics about celebrities, such as the recent case of a dispute between Chinese actors Ma Tianyu and Li Mingde, which led to complaints from some users.
