TikTok released a statement updating users regarding its efforts to combat hate on its platform. The social media service reports already having removed 380,000 videos as well as 64,000 comments, and banning 1,300 accounts during 2020 alone, due to violations of its community guidelines and hate speech policy. The announcement comes as social media networks around the world continue to respond to demands that their services do more to counter manifestations of hate on the internet, though TikTok has also been the epicenter of some eruptions of hate.
The service also notes that it is working to be more culturally sensitive in its efforts to police the activities of users on its platform. Beyond hate speech, the company has encountered the threat of a ban due to the content posted on its site within Pakistan, where the government cites vulgarity and moral quals with TikTok posts. The promotion of the company’s efforts to combat hate comes at a time when TikTok is under fire for security concerns that it presents abroad; the application is seen as being a siphon for China to access the personal data of people around the world.
In the statement regarding hate speech, TikTok writes that, “To be clear, these numbers don’t reflect a 100% success rate in catching every piece of hateful content or behavior, but they do indicate our commitment to action.” The numbers are staggering though, the sheer magnitude of hate that one can encounter upon TikTok and similar platforms is a daunting task to rein in. Other services, such as Facebook have recently experienced more direct pressure to control hate on their platforms that have sent reverberations throughout the industry. TikTok has demonstrated that it is on point and working hard to continue to combat the scourge of haters.
How Might This Affect The Potential Sale Of U.S. TikTok?
TikTok is presenting itself as a socially responsible actor while continuing to court an American firm to acquire its U.S. and other English-speaking operations. The company is under pressure to sell, due to Trump’s threat of an impending ban, and is in talks with Microsoft and Oracle. The ongoing efforts to highlight its socially responsible behavior are likely to ensure that recent outbursts of negative publicity about white supremacists on its platform do not negatively impact those talks.
The vigorous efforts to combat online hate will also appease users, ensuring that they do not engage a cancel campaign or switch to an alternative less hate-filled platform. Prominently featuring these efforts while emphasizing the staggering numbers is a very smart move. Hate finds a way, but it appears so are TikTok and the other social networks.
