TikTok’s CEO announced that the company is making an effort to increase transparency, promising that it will allow experts to “examine the actual code that drives our algorithms.”
CEO Kevin Mayer said Wednesday that “all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators.”
“We will not wait for regulation to come, but instead, TikTok has taken the first step by launching a Transparency and Accountability Center for moderation and data practices. Experts can observe our moderation policies in real time, as well as examine the actual code that drives our algorithms,” he added.
The app has become hugely popular among teenagers and young adults, but some are worried that TikTok’s connection with China could make it a security risk.
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is a Chinese company, and in China, the Communist Party can demand access to the data of companies based there.
It is unclear how much information about China’s potential influence regulators will be able to draw from gaining access to this data.
In recent weeks, United States government officials, including President Trump, have begun to look at the possibility of banning the app. India banned the app a short time ago. Other companies appear to be closing in on the opportunity. Facebook is set to release a TikTok competitor soon.
“At TikTok, we welcome competition,” Mayer said. “We think fair competition makes all of us better. To those who wish to launch competitive products, we say, ‘Bring it on.’ Facebook is even launching another copycat product, Reels, tied to Instagram, after their other copycat, Lasso, failed quickly. But let’s focus our energies on fair and open competition in service of our consumers, rather than maligning attacks by our competitor, namely Facebook, disguised as patriotism and designed to put an end to our very presence in the U.S.”
