Denies Leaking User Data, TikTok Will Give Researchers API Access To Confidential Company Information

TikTok grants API access to classified information for US senators (photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Several months ago, several claims stated that employees of the application made by ByteDance company TikTok in China had data access to TikTok users in the US.

In response, the company finally announced that it would provide researchers, academics, and experts with more transparency on its platform and moderation system.

TikTok will provide API access for researchers to easily research the TikTok platform. Currently, the API is still under development and will be available to selected researchers at the end of the year.

In addition, TikTok is also developing API access for research moderation systems that will be available this fall at the TikTok Transparency and Accountability Center.

"This moderation system API will provide selected researchers with an effective way to evaluate our content moderation system and examine the existing content available on our platform," said Vanessa Pappas, Chief Operating Officer, TikTok in a release.

From there, Pappas added, researchers can upload their own content to see how it is rejected, allowed, or forwarded to moderators for further evaluation.

For greater transparency, TikTok will provide API access to classified information to independent Experts on the US Content Advisory Council and TikTok Security Advisory Council for further analysis.

"These initiatives are going well and will be launched in the coming months of this year," he said.

The steps come as TikTok seeks to prove it is not a national security threat because of its parent company's connections to China.

At the same time, TikTok plans to move all of its user data in the US to the Oracle cloud stored in the US.

In response to a letter from a US senator concerned about TikTok's policies, the Chinese company responded that its employees in China are subject to a series of cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols overseen by TikTok's US-based security team.