TikTok says it will protect users from toxic content
TikTok has told Health Minister Stephen Donnelly it is taking measures to protect users from harmful content after it was the subject of scrutiny over the way mental health issues are broadcast on the platform.
It wrote to Mr Donnelly last month after he contributed to an RTÉ Prime Time programme which examined how teenagers might be vulnerable to footage linked to self-harming and suicide.
The Chinese-owned social media giant said it wanted to assure him it already has mechanisms in place “to protect the safety of its community”.
Technology firms have met government representatives about implementing EU cyber security legislation and participated in a roundtable discussion regarding the role social media platforms will play in the European and local elections next month.
Multiple platforms and network providers attempted to assure the Government they were taking steps to protect the integrity of the elections.
These are aimed at tackling misinformation, fact-checking and monitoring misleading content or posts and videos generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
Social media platforms have been criticised over delayed responses to misinformation before previous elections abroad.
Coimisiún na Meán’s Digital Services Commissioner John Evans has previously said he “wasn’t overwhelmed” by some of the plans social media companies had in place before the upcoming elections.
Lobbying register records show TikTok head of public policy Susan Moss was among those to meet Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, Electoral Reform Minister Malcolm Noonan and officials about the election plans.
TikTok said it has launched a new digital hub which will give voters information on how to spot misinformation and fake news.
Its European head of safety and integrity Kevin Morgan said it works with nine fact-checking organisations assessing the accuracy of information in 18 European languages and aims to label any information which cannot be verified.
The Department of Housing, which is responsible for running elections, said new European legislation around AI and disinformation would also help protect the integrity of the upcoming votes.
A spokesman said: “Furthermore, a national counter disinformation strategy is currently being finalised by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Media and Sport to provide for a strategic and a coordinated approach to combat the impact of disinformation on society and democracy.”
A spokesman for Tiktok said: “We wrote to the minister to outline the steps we take to remove potentially harmful content from the platform and the protections we have in place for teenage users on TikTok.”