Protecting Privacy and Security: TikTok's Efforts in the Past Year

At TikTok, protecting the privacy and security of our users is one of our top priorities. As we celebrate Data Privacy Day and kick off Privacy Awareness Month, let's take a look back at some of the efforts we made in the past year.

Strengthening Data Sovereignty

To strengthen our data sovereignty, we established TikTok US Data Security (USDS), an entity dedicated to overseeing all aspects of data and content related to the U.S. TikTok platform. We also provided more details about our approach to safeguarding European user data and minimizing data transfers outside the region. In line with this, we announced our plan to create a data center in Dublin to house UK & EEA data by 2023.

Enhancing Transparency

Transparency is crucial to us, so we developed research APIs and collaborated with the research community while respecting our users' privacy. These APIs are currently being tested by members of our content and Safety Advisory Councils, who specialize in areas such as misinformation, violent extremism, hateful behavior, and emerging technologies.

To further enhance transparency, we updated our privacy policies in Europe and the U.S. This ensures that our users have a clear understanding of how their data is handled.

Online Data Safety

We also launched the #BeCyberSmart series, which provides valuable insights and best practices for online data safety. Topics covered include PIN information, site verification, data backups, privacy controls, password management, two-step authentication, and app updates.

Data Privacy Education for Young Users

In the EU, we introduced Privacy Highlights for Teens, a simplified page aimed at educating young users about data privacy and the features we offer. This helps them make informed decisions about their privacy.

Collaboration with Ethical Hackers

As part of our commitment to security, we celebrated our two-year anniversary with HackerOne, a platform that encourages ethical hackers to disclose vulnerabilities. This allows us to quickly resolve any issues before they impact our community. In addition, we became a founding sponsor of HackerOne's Corporate Security Responsibility (CSecR) pledge, which promotes transparency, collaboration, innovation, and differentiation to create a safer digital world.

Updating Community Guidelines

We continuously update our Community Guidelines to ensure the well-being of our community and maintain the integrity of our platform. We emphasize transparency with our users and clearly define the types of behavior and content that are not tolerated.

Privacy by Design

Our Privacy By Design Program remains a priority, as it allows us to prioritize privacy throughout the development lifecycle of our products and features.

Future Efforts

In 2023, we will continue to build upon these efforts and communicate updates and innovations that further strengthen user privacy.