TikTok is updating its data policy in Europe, and this one has surprises. Some that come at a difficult time for the issue of privacy on the continent. According to the new rules of the social network, the data of users on the mainland can be viewed by employees outside of the mainland. In other words: TikTok workers in China can learn the information of employees in Europe. The objective of this movement is, according to the technology company, to maintain a “consistent, pleasant and safe” user experience. This modification will enter into force on December 2, both in the United Kingdom, as well as in Switzerland and the countries of the European Union.
The social network does not specify which countries have access to data from Europe. They point out, in any case, that will have access where TikTok has data storage centers for European users. Brazil, Canada, Israel, the United States, Singapore and, of course, China, are on the list.
Can all employees access? As they point from TikTok to Guardian, only certain employees in its offices in Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States will have access to this information. All under the security and data management controls imposed by the European Union under the GDPR.
One citizen is not interested in TikTok, millions are
In this sense, the objective of these accesses is to improve the performance of the algorithms, recommendations to users or management for the moderation of content within the platform. And this does not finish convincing the European control organisms, which have been working for some time on the surveillance of the data that China controls of the community citizens.
Specifically, Ireland, which has placed special interest in data transfer. And while it is true that China has no special interest in monitoring anonymous European citizens, it does represent an important strategy to grow the business of the social network on the continent.
This follows in the footsteps of what the United States has been pursuing for some time. Although after Trump’s departure, the level of alert regarding TikTok has relaxed in the North American country, the security levels of TikTok have always been in the spotlight. Precisely because of that data transfer to China.