TikTok opens ‘accountability centre’ in the US to repair reputation amid concerns about China links, privacy

As part of efforts to prove that it’s not a “Trojan Horse” for the Chinese government, as one of the proposed bills describes it, TikTok is opening a Transparency and Accountability Centre at its Los Angeles headquarters.

The centre, which doesn’t directly address the China question, nevertheless aims to help outsiders understand how the app works, with various stations including touch screens that illustrate how its algorithm and content moderation tools operate. One instalment, for instance, gives visitors a chance to experience the decision-making process for a TikTok moderator who is presented with a type of content that has been reported to the company for potentially violating policies.

At the centre, TikTok aims to answer basic questions about the app’s inner workings for people who might have a say in its future – like politicians, regulators, data privacy experts and journalists.

The company is also updating its rules around account suspensions, adding a new strikes system that means users who continually violate the same rule or abuse the same feature on the app will face a permanent ban.

On Tuesday, journalists invited to tour the facility heard from chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas, who has represented TikTok’s interests in the US and has previously been called to testify before Congress. She emphasised that building consumer trust is a top priority. “This is an area of commitment for us,” she said. “You’ll often hear about it whether you work inside or outside the company as this being our No 1 priority.”