Daily Times

Karachi: TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile videos, today introduced its Asia Pacific (APAC) Safety Advisory Council. The external Council, which is made up of leading experts in the field of legal and regulatory bodies and academics from across the region, will provide advice on content moderation policies and trust and safety issues specific to APAC.

The Council brings together thought leaders who can help to develop forward-looking policies that not only address the challenges of today, but also plan ahead for the next set of issues that the industry will face. The Council will provide subject matter expertise and advise on TikTok’s content moderation policies and practices to help shape regional and global guidelines. The Council will also play a critical role in identifying existing and emerging issues in the region which affect TikTok’s platforms and users, and develop strategies to tackle these challenges.

“TikTok is taking a positive step forward in improving its policies and processes with the establishment of the APAC Safety Advisory Council,” said Arjun Narayan, TikTok Director of Trust and Safety, Asia Pacific. “I’m pleased to welcome the founding members to the Council and firmly believe this Council will provide constructive, sound and honest advice as TikTok continues to strengthen its content policies in Asia Pacific. We look forward to expanding our Council in the future, with representatives from other markets in the region.”

The founding members of TikTok’s APAC Safety Advisory Council are:

● Jehan Ara, President, Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES and Founder, The Nest i/o, from Pakistan is a highly regarded expert in the IT industry and will lend her expertise on general content-related issues.

● Amitabh Kumar, Founder, Social Media Matters, from India is known for his initiatives on social digital campaigns and is highly regarded for his digital safety programmes focused on gender sensitisation, digital rights and online safety.

● Nguyen Phuong Linh, Executive Director, Management and Sustainable Development Institute, from Vietnam advocates for the rights of marginalised groups, especially children, youth, women and people with disabilities.

● Dr. Yuhyun Park, Founder, DQ Institute, from Singapore brings valuable experience and expertise in digital literacy, skills and readiness.

● Prof. Akira Sakamoto, Professor, Department of Psychology, Ochanomizu University, from Japan focuses on the intersection of media and digital literacy.

● Prof. Seungwoo Son, Professor, Industrial Security, Chung-Ang University, from South Korea is a renowned expert on intellectual property and Internet law, which includes defamation, pornography and misinformation.

● Anita Wahid, Activist, Gusdurian Network Indonesia and President, MAFINDO (Indonesia Anti-Hoax Society), from Indonesia is an activist at the intersection of human rights and anti-hoax who understands child safety issues and religious content needs.

In joining the TikTok APAC Safety Advisory Council, Jehan Ara, President, Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES and Founder, The Nest i/o, said: “Creating a sound content moderation policy that takes into account current and future issues, is not an easy task for any platform. I am honoured to support TikTok with addressing these challenges and applaud the company’s effort to develop forward-looking policies through an independent council.”

The Council will convene quarterly for discussions on key issues, including online safety, child safety, digital literacy, mental health and human rights, report on observations and submit formal recommendations related to the issues discussed. To learn more about TikTok’s APAC Safety Advisory Council and its members, visit https://www.tiktok.com/safety/resources/tiktok-safety-advisory-council

TikTok is available in over 150 countries and regions in 75 languages. Download the TikTok app via iOS or Google Play.