To assist it with content management in the area, TikTok is recruiting outside professionals in Europe in areas including safeguarding children, young people’s mental wellness, and fanaticism to form a Safety Advisory Council. tiktok advisory council europelomastechcrunch.
The action, which was revealed recently, comes in response to an urgent involvement by Italy’s data protection agency in January, which ordered TikTok to block users whose ages it cannot confirm following the death of a girl who was reportedly asphyxiated as a result of taking part in a black-out challenge on the video-sharing platform, according to local media. tiktok safety advisory europelomastechcrunch.
The social media network has also been the subject of a synchronized effort of grievances from EU consumer protection authorities, which last month published two reports outlining a total of possible violations of the EU’s consumer protection and privacy laws, including issues specifically related to children’s safety.
In an attempt to put a positive spin on the necessity of enhancing safety on its network in the region, TikTok states today, “We are always analyzing our existing features and policies, and innovating to take daring new actions to prioritize safety.”
Leaders from academics and civil society from around Europe will be gathered at the Council. Each member contributes a unique and innovative viewpoint to the problems we face, and members will offer their subject-matter expertise while giving us advice on our content control procedures and guidelines.
Initially having brought in outside competence in areas such as anti-bullying, youngster’s mental well-being, and virtual parenting; digital child exploitation/abuse; radicalization and deradicalization; anti-bias/discrimination, and racial violence, TikTok has appointed nine people to its European Council. The company claims that this cohort will grow as it keeps adding more representatives to the body (“from more countries and different areas of expertise to support us in the future”).
TikTok is probably also keeping an eye on the upcoming EU-wide rule that will apply to networks that operate in the region.
