TikTok says to address European concerns by opening up about how it works

TikTok plans to allow European researchers and policymakers to see how its teams moderate content, how its recommendation technology works and how it handles data as it seeks to address concerns over the privacy and safety of its young users.

The social media app said on Tuesday it would open a European Transparency and Accountability Centre, at first 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 pandemic has boosted its popularity among youngsters shut up at home.

“We recognise our responsibility to gain the trust of our community and the broader public,” Cormac Keenan, the company’s Head of Trust and Safety, said in a statement.