Elizabeth Kanter, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations, TikTok
I was delighted to join the Media APPG on 3 July to discuss how online media can empower and connect, particularly as we respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. A recap of some of the points raised is below.
What do you think companies can do to help people and communities stay connected online during Covid-19?
It is clear that staying connected means different things to different people. When it comes to engaging with platforms like TikTok, a short form mobile video platform, some people prefer to just consume the content that is being posted by the community, whereas others want to be more actively involved. Neither is better - both satisfy the human need to feel connected to others. During the Covid-19 crisis, TikTok has been a platform for both types of connectivity.
In the last few months, we have been more focussed than ever on promoting connectivity: as many individuals, families and businesses struggled to maintain that authentic human connection, users on our platform have really responded by creating content that reflects that need.
Whether it's families bonding over the #BlindingLightsChallenge, our community sharing experiences of working from home (#quarantine) or TeamGB launching the #isolationgames to make up for the lost summer of sport, we certainly helped people stay connected online. We've been humbled to see so many turn to TikTok to find brief moments of relief and joy over the past 4 months.
We are also proud of how the TikTok community has come together to show their gratitude to frontline healthcare workers. From saying thank you through our #ThankYouNHS challenge (300m+ views and 200,000 videos) to the incredible support we've witnessed for key workers, including delivery drivers, rubbish collectors and supermarket staff, in our weekly #ClapForOurCarers challenge (25m+ views).
When asked why people have turned to TikTok so much during the pandemic, it is clear that the ability to easily create and edit videos has been key. But more importantly, we think people have turned to TikTok because it has provided a new and innovative way for people to connect with others in a way which provided much needed joy during these unprecedented times.
How can we promote a depth of understanding online and foster greater digital literacy to empower users?
During this pandemic, we focused on supporting our users by providing access to accurate information, in partnership with trusted and authoritative sources, to serve the health and wellbeing of our community. To that end, we launched our in-app Covid-19 hub in March to provide our users with reliable information from trusted sources such as the the British Red Cross and the World Health Organisation. That Hub also included a “myth busters” section addressing questions related to causes of and cures for COVID19.
With specific regard to digital and media literacy related to misinformation, we are deeply committed to reducing the level of misinformation that surfaces on TikTok. To that end, we have tagged all Covid19 videos with the message 'Learn the facts about covid-19' and we have introduced a range of policies aimed at removing new forms of misinformation which surfaced during the pandemic.
Looking more broadly and as a new platform, we know we have a unique opportunity to take an innovative approach to both digital and media literacy. Not only have our users embraced TikTok as a platform for learning (check out #history and #learnontiktok), but we are also exploring how we can support media literacy campaigns on a range of subjects. We are currently exploring work with partners from across Parliament, the NGO Community, and academia and hope we can continue to be part of the conversation on this important topic.
How can positive online communities that protect users be encouraged on platforms?
Keeping users safe is a top priority for TikTok. I spoke to the APPG about our evolving approach to content moderation both through our community guidelines, safety settings and extra protections for our younger users. For example, we recently turned off direct messaging and livestreaming for our 13-15 year old users. We have also launched a new Youth Portal to help users increase their awareness of our safety features so they can have a fun and positive TikTok experience.
Ultimately through these tools we want to empower users to increase their knowledge about online safety, improve their digital literacy and stay up to date on our latest product innovations. We are also keen to meet with and hear from stakeholders so that we can engage in a two-way dialogue, be up to date on public policy issues and, importantly, always be responsive to user need. Our work on safety is never finished, and that is why we find it so important to engage with different audiences, including the APPG Media, to discuss different stakeholders' approaches and external views on concerns and opportunities for content platforms like TikTok.