TikTok intends to allow European researchers and policymakers to see how its teams moderate user content, how its recommendation technology works and how it handles data as it seeks to address concerns about the privacy and security of its new users.
See also: Lawsuit against TikTok for mishandling children's data
The app said Tuesday it will open a European Transparency and Accountability Center, initially virtually and later at a facility in Ireland expected to open next year.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has more than 100 million users in Europe. The COVID-19 has boosted its popularity – especially among young people and teenagers.
See also: TikTok will automatically add subtitles to videos
“We recognize that it is our responsibility to maintain the trust of our community and the wider public,” Cormac Keenan, the company’s head of trust and safety, said in a statement.
In February, EU consumer groups filed multiple complaints about the company with authorities in 15 EU countries for allegedly violating consumer laws and failing to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content.
See also: Does TikTok's algorithm promote extremism?
In the United States, some lawmakers have accused TikTok of sharing user data with the Chinese government. The company has denied these allegations, saying that US is stored in the United States and China has no jurisdiction over content that is not held in China.
Information source: thestar.com.my
