TikTok launches Safety Ambassadors Programme

TikTok, the short-form video-sharing platform, Tuesday held its first-ever digital safety event in Pakistan as it launched its 'Safety Ambassadors Programme'.

"Lauded for its innovative and diverse community, another factor that has led to the application's popularity has been its emphatic focus on user protection and safety. The platform's #SaferTogether campaign is another step in that direction with the aim to raise awareness around digital safety in the country," a statement from the platform said.

The event featured a star-studded panel discussion including some of Pakistan’s most renowned content creators — Taimur Salahuddin (aka Mooroo), Irfan Junejo, Faiza Saleem, Amtul Haseen Baweja, Hamza Bhatti, Areeka Haq, Anoushey Ashraf, and Kazi Muhammad Akber.

Speaking to a full-house audience, which included Pakistan's creators' community and journalists, the panellists discussed various aspects of digital safety including misinformation, harassment cyberbullying, and online scams while advocating for responsible usage of the internet and safe content creation.

Tips and guidelines were also given in the event for content creators to hone their craft and create compelling content. During the question and answer session, the audience interacted with the creators and gained exciting insights into the different challenges of content creation.

With the #SaferTogether initiative, the Chinese short-video application also looks towards creating "awareness regarding safety of users and how they can benefit from the various in-app safety features available".

The application — which boasts over one million users worldwide — offers a centralised location for safety updates called the Safety Centre. This provides updated information on all actions that TikTok implements to continuously boost safety and security on the platform with all the necessary tools and tips, the statement mentioned.

In the event, the application's robust set of Community Guidelines in place to moderate inappropriate content and behaviour was also brought under discussion.

"With zero tolerance for harmful content that incites violence against other users or any content that violates its Community Guidelines, TikTok leaves no stones unturned to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its users," the statement read.

It added that the safety initiative by the short-video app reinforces its commitment to digital safety, as it continues to combat the industry-wide issue of online and offline safety of users.

"The campaign is also a reminder of TikTok's proactive efforts in educating users about safety, misinformation and the power of authentic content," TikTok Pakistan's statement mentioned.