TikTok faces questions over monetisation, child safety and accountability

BY BIBEK SHRESTHA,Kathmandu, Oct. 9: TikTok officials faced a flurry of questions over monetisation, copyright, child safety, misinformation and content moderation at a masterclass on journalism and digital 

storytelling held at the Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (CDJMC), Balkhu, on Thursday.

The TikTok Masterclass on Journalism and Digital Storytelling, organised by TikTok in collaboration with CDJMC, brought together journalism scholars, content creators, influencers and media professionals to discuss creative storytelling, responsible content creation and emerging practices in digital journalism.

The event was divided into four sessions: a masterclass on modern journalism and storytelling; a trust and safety session on misinformation and responsible content; a panel discussion on the future of journalism; and a session on newsroom experience and content creation.

Karan Parihar, a Dubai-based content creator, opened the programme with a session on creative storytelling, demonstrating how journalists and content creators can use TikTok's built-in features to engage audiences.

The second session became more contentious when Sarika Iqbal, TikTok's communications and public relations officer, joined the programme via Zoom to discuss trust and safety, misinformation and responsible content.

Iqbal emphasised the importance of following TikTok's Community Guidelines, using audience-content preference features and understanding the platform's transparency mechanisms concerning restricted accounts.

Her presentation was followed by questions from participants about algorithmic bias, children's excessive use of the platform and the rapid spread of misinformation.

Responding to concerns about children's use of TikTok, Iqbal said the company was serious about child safety and combating misinformation. She pointed to measures including screen-time limitations and child-friendly policies.