No, it is no longer the “ballet social network”. Or at least it no longer wants to be, because with 175 million monthly users, Europe wants to be the development area for TikTok that demonstrates its commitment to improving the platform and transparency for those who use it. Details that become the identity card of an increasingly expanding service. In short: we are in the battle between China and the USA (which wants the sale), and for this reason the Transparency and Accountability Center was recently inaugurated in Dublin, where it is possible to know all the secrets of the most popular social network at the moment. And the challenge is an important one: investing resources to increase trust.
So, for starters, TikTok has initiated new policies to protect its youngest users. For minors, for example, the platform has introduced notifications that remind them to take a break after an hour of use, while – on the other hand – parents can set time limits and parental controls. Among the upcoming innovations, there are measures against filters that excessively alter physical characteristics, such as the controversial “Bold Glamour”, to prevent negative impacts on self-perception. TikTok is also collaborating with organizations such as Internet Matters to investigate the effects of social media use on the psyche of adolescents and is also strengthening its helpline functions to offer direct support to those seeking content related to sensitive issues, such as self-harm. Thanks to collaborations with local NGOs, users receive immediate assistance and in the future the service will also be extended to those who report worrying content.
Another of the most relevant issues is that attempts to prevent children under 13 from registering have mostly failed, even though TikTok deletes approximately 6 million accounts of minors identified through an automated system that analyzes keywords and reports every month. To ensure a safe environment, the social network adopts a mixed moderation system, combining automated technologies (80%) and a team of 6,000 moderators in Europe (20%): approximately 70% of infringing content is removed before being viewed. In the first quarter of 2024, the platform deleted 26 million videos across the EU and UK, but there is still more to do. Then there is the management of user data, especially in Europe where the GDPR is in force, by the ownership of the Chinese ByteDance. Precisely the issue that in the United States is leading to the inhibition of the platform if it does not change owner. This is why the Clover project was announced, which involves investments of 12 billion euros over ten years with the construction of data centers in Ireland and Norway.
However, logistical delays have led to the adoption of a “virtual enclave”, where European data is stored under the supervision of NCC Group, an independent body that guarantees respect for privacy and local regulations: «We are aware of our responsibilities and we hope that our efforts can demonstrate this” say the company managers. There are more than one and a half billion users in the world who deserve them.