TikTok begins testing an early model of its platform analysis API

Earlier this yr, TikTok introduced that it’s developing a research API to enhance entry to public and anonymized information about content material and exercise on its app. Now, the corporate says it’s able to make a beta model of its platform research API available and has requested members of its Content material and Security Advisory Councils to check an early model of the API.

“To get began, we’ve requested members of our Content material and Security Advisory Councils with experience in misinformation, violent extremism, hateful conduct, and rising applied sciences to check an early model of our platform analysis API,” TikTok mentioned in a weblog publish. “They’ll have entry to public information as we collect their suggestions on usability and the general expertise. We’re devoted to listening to and incorporating suggestions from testers and creating an API that may meet the wants of the scientific neighborhood whereas respecting the privateness of our neighborhood.”

On the time of the preliminary announcement, TikTok mentioned researchers presently don’t have a simple solution to assess content material or conduct assessments on its platform, which is why it noticed the necessity for a analysis API.

Along with the platform analysis API, TikTok is growing a content material moderation API. The corporate plans to share extra particulars within the coming months. The moderation system API will give choose researchers a solution to consider TikTok’s content material moderation techniques and study present content material on the app. Researchers can even have the ability to add their very own content material to see how several types of content material are both permitted, rejected or handed to moderators for additional analysis.

TikTok’s replace on its analysis API work comes amid renewed calls from FCC commissioner Brendan Carr to ban the app. This wasn’t the primary time Carr voiced this concept. After BuzzFeed Information reported data improprieties implied by leaked inside communications, Carr wrote in June to Apple and Google calling the app an “unacceptable nationwide safety danger” and asking the businesses to take away it from their app shops.