TikTok’s search results page may soon include a link to Google results.
Features spotted According to app researcher Radu Oncescu, you’ll be taken to a TikTok search results page with a link to search the same query on Google (via insider). In another screenshot Shared by OncescuTikTok’s pop-up says, “TikTok does not endorse and is not responsible for Google’s search results.”
Google declined to comment. TikTok did not immediately respond. The VergeYour request for comment has been confirmed by insider The company is reportedly testing this feature in some markets.
The addition of Google search results linked to the TikTok app is the latest and most notable example of short-form video apps leaning into search. Earlier this month, we noticed that TikTok was secretly adding Wikipedia snippets that linked directly to the site. Snippets may not show up for all searches, but they do seem to show up for some places, businesses, and individuals. TikTok spokesperson Zachary Kaiser said: The Verge This feature has been available for several months.
The partnership between Google and TikTok comes in the wake of a potentially pivotal antitrust lawsuit currently underway against Google. The US Department of Justice alleges that Google illegally maintains search dominance through expensive contracts with companies such as Apple that keep Google as the default search engine for their products.
At the same time, regulatory scrutiny could increase after the European Commission named TikTok to the list of “gatekeepers” that will have to comply with new rules under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is an attempt to curb anti-competitive behavior by major tech companies, and requires listed companies to follow certain rules depending on how they are regulated. For example, messaging apps should be interoperable with other platforms, and users should be able to install third-party apps and app stores.