TikTok, the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, has reported the removal of four million videos from its platform within the European Union (EU) in September 2023.
This disclosure was part of TikTok’s first transparency report since the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA) came into effect in August. The DSA mandates major online platforms to provide a transparency report every six months.
TikTok, along with 18 other platforms, falls under the purview of this heightened EU scrutiny due to their user base of at least 45 million monthly users in the bloc. As of September 2023, TikTok boasted a user base of 134 million in the EU.
The company employs 6,125 content moderators across the EU, proficient in all its national languages. These moderators, along with automated systems, proactively search for content deemed illegal or harmful under TikTok’s policies.
Interestingly, the report revealed that the volume of content removed proactively by TikTok was “seven times more than the volume of violative content removed following a user report”.
The DSA threatens very large online platforms and search engines with fines that can go up to six percent of global turnover for violations. This move by TikTok is seen as a significant step towards adhering to these regulations and ensuring a safer and more respectful online environment for its users.