TikTok is one of the most criticized social media platforms to date, especially in the US. It has been accused of mishandling user data and giving them to the Chinese government. The latest move from the company probably doesn't help with matters.
TikTok Removes Tool Used by Critics
The short-form video platform gas a tool called the Creative Center, which helps content creators and advertisers learn more about the trends on the site, which could help with the kind of content they should create for more engagement.
One of those tools, particularly the one that allows researchers to study the hashtags used on the app, has been removed. This change comes after critics used it to support their data in criticizing the social media giant.
The researchers expressed that TikTok has failed to moderate the content on the app, along with an old accusation that Beijing is influencing the kind of posts that appear on the platform, as reported by The New York Times.
The study was done by using the search button on the Creative Center to look for popular hashtags. Now, the tool no longer works when searching for topics regarding the Israel-Hamas war or US politics. Instead, the company said that it will now focus on other neutral topics like pets and travel.
Given the number of users on the platform, TikTok can be influential when it comes to persuading people to lean into certain perspectives. Lawmakers and researchers continue to be wary of this kind of power, as misuse can lead to the wrong influence on its younger users.
In defense of the company, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek said that "some individuals and organizations have misused the Center's search function to draw inaccurate conclusions, so we are changing some of the features to ensure it is used for its intended purpose."
Concerns Over TikTok
Even though TikTok has repeatedly clarified that the company does not provide user data to the Chinese government, nor does it influence the content that appears on users' feeds, US officials are still untrusting of the app under a Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The issue was further intensified when a former employee from ByteDance made claims the Chinese Communist Party really did access data from TikTok users, partly for political purposes. Since then, several states have already banned the app from government-issued devices.
The former employee, Yintao Yu, said that the CCP spied on protesters in Hong Kong back in 2018 using backdoor access to TikTok, as reported by CNN, which allowed them to identify and monitor the activists' locations and communications.
This has led to extreme measures such as a statewide ban on the app in Montana. However, the restriction of the app, which was supposed to take effect by 2024, has been blocked by a federal judge.
This means that even though Governor Greg Gianforte already signed the bill into law, they still can't outright ban the app for its citizen's phones. This is not only a setback for Montana, but also for other states who plan to do the same.
