In response to increasing scrutiny from lawmakers across Europe and North America, TikTok has unveiled a new initiative focused on data security, named “Project Clover.”
This announcement comes after the European Parliament, European Commission, and the EU Council implemented a ban on TikTok for use on staff phones, citing rising concerns regarding the potential for user data harvesting by the Chinese government, given that the platform is owned by ByteDance.
Concurrently, the Biden administration has supported legislation aimed at providing the government with enhanced authority to prohibit Chinese-owned applications like TikTok and other foreign technologies deemed to pose national security risks.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, TikTok officials revealed plans to begin the local storage of European user data this year, with a continued transition expected through 2024.
As part of this initiative, the company detailed its plans to establish a second data center in Ireland and another in Norway’s Hamar region. These facilities will be managed by a third-party organization, which has not been publicly identified.
“We strive to be a compliant organization. We invite stakeholders to communicate their concerns and collaboratively develop solutions. This has been our consistent stance in the US, as well as globally,” remarked Theo Bertram, Vice President of government relations and public policy.
He further emphasized the company’s willingness to engage with governments, regulators, and experts to enhance the effectiveness of its data security measures.
TikTok also stated it would minimize the transfer of user data beyond the region and limit internal employee access to this data.
This approach parallels the company’s efforts in the United States under the initiative known as “Project Texas,” which aims to address concerns from skeptical lawmakers.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
