TikTok search results pages could soon have a link to Google results.
A feature stained by app researcher Radu Oncescu shows TikTok’s search results page that includes a link to Google the same query (through Well-informed person). In another screenshot shared by Oncescua TikTok pop-up says, “TikTok does not endorse and is not responsible for Google search results.”
Google declined to comment. TikTok did not immediately respond to The edgerequest for comments but confirmed to Well-informed person which is testing the feature in some markets.
The addition of linked Google results in the TikTok app is the latest and most notable example of how the short video app is leaning into search. Earlier this month, we noticed that TikTok had been quietly adding Wikipedia snippets that link directly to the site. Snippets did not appear for all searches, but they appear to appear for some locations, businesses, and individuals. said TikTok spokesperson Zachary Kizer. The edge that the feature had been active for a few months.
The backdrop to a partnership between Google and TikTok is the potentially pivotal antitrust case against Google that is currently underway. The US Department of Justice alleges that Google has illegally maintained its dominance in search through costly deals with companies like Apple that keep Google as the default search engine for their products.
At the same time, TikTok could be under increased scrutiny from regulators after the European Commission included the company on its list of “gatekeepers” that must comply with new rules under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is an attempt to curb anti-competitive practices at major technology companies, and publicly traded companies will have to abide by certain rules depending on how they are regulated. Messaging apps, for example, must be interoperable with other platforms and users must be able to install third-party apps and app stores.
