TikTok’s policy chief has staunchly defended the platform’s robust safety measures, even as the European Union moves forward with plans to restrict children’s access to social media, a move signaling intensifying regulatory scrutiny on tech giants.
Ali Law, TikTok’s director of public policy and government affairs for Northern Europe, asserted in a recent interview that the social media giant was fundamentally built with “safety by design,” a philosophy aimed at ensuring the well-being of young users on its platform.
“We are acutely aware of the concerns that both parents and policymakers harbor in this domain,” Law stated. “Our objective is to foster a healthy and safe engagement with the app, recognizing the substantial benefits users can derive from it.”
This defense comes at a critical juncture as governments globally are contemplating and implementing measures to enhance online safety for minors. Australia notably became the first country to enact a legally binding ban in December, with the United Kingdom, France, Greece, and Spain subsequently announcing similar restrictions.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the bloc will proceed with restricting children’s social media usage, including exploring the feasibility of an age limit for platform access. These proposed measures are informed by the findings of a special panel on child safety online, which Von der Leyen had commissioned.
“In Europe, we firmly believe that it is parents who raise our children, not predatory algorithms. Let me be unequivocally clear: social media is not a toy. While the ultimate decision of when children receive their first smartphones rests with parents, there is a growing consensus that a definitive starting age for social media engagement is necessary,” she emphasized.
Earlier this year, Von der Leyen indicated that the EU intended to take action against platforms like TikTok for their “addictive design,” citing features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and pervasive push notifications as contributing factors to excessive usage.
Balancing a healthy relationship
TikTok’s Law highlighted the platform’s comprehensive suite of over 50 pre-set safety features for users under 16. These include a one-hour screen time limit and a nightly “screen takeover” prompting users to take a break after 10 p.m. While these features serve as important nudges, younger users retain the option to continue their engagement.
Additional restrictions for those under 16 encompass limitations on direct messaging and participation in TikTok Shop transactions.
“These are intentionally designed default aspects, subtle prompts to encourage a balanced and healthy relationship with our app. This approach aligns with our interests, as users who experience burnout from excessive use will ultimately derive less value,” Law explained, adding that TikTok allocated $2 billion towards trust and safety initiatives last year.
Earlier this year, TikTok reached a settlement in a high-profile case that also implicated social media giants like Instagram and YouTube for allegedly harming young people’s mental health through addictive design elements like infinite scrolling. In the same legal proceedings, Meta Platforms and Alphabet (Google’s parent company) were later found negligent by a jury for failing to adequately warn users about the potential dangers associated with their platforms.
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