TikTok Lite: A Safety Hazard Unveiled by Researchers

A recent report by Mozilla and AI Forensics has revealed significant discrepancies in safety features between TikTok Lite and the flagship app. The absence of essential content protection measures in TikTok Lite, designed for regions with slower internet connectivity, has been labeled a “safety hazard.”

Key Findings of the Report

The report highlights that TikTok Lite, a low-bandwidth alternative to TikTok, does not include crucial safety features such as content labels for graphic, AI-generated, misinformation, and dangerous acts videos. These safety guardrails are reportedly easy to integrate without increasing the app’s size, around 30 MB.

Co-founder of AI Forensics Claudio Agosti emphasized that adding the missing safety features to the app is not technically complex. “TikTok’s decision to ignore these safety measures is a choice, not a technical necessity,” Agosti stated.

The top users of TikTok Lite come from India, Brazil, and Indonesia, while the app is unavailable in the United States and most of Europe. The report found that TikTok Lite lacks warning labels for potentially harmful content and controls for filtering offensive content and managing screen time, which are in the main TikTok app.

Double Standards in Safety Measures

Salvatore Romano, head of research at AI Forensics, raised concerns about potential double standards in TikTok’s safety measures based on regional differences. “We usually hear TikTok saying they are trying to do their best, but it’s a very clear case where it seems they are having different standards across the world,” Romano noted. This disparity is problematic, especially in countries with lower digital standards compared to Europe or the US, which have stricter regulations.

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The Global Perspective

TikTok is not alone in offering “lite” versions for developing countries with basic mobile phones or slow internet. Other platforms like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Tinder also have similar models. However, the main TikTok app is available in all countries where TikTok Lite is used, and the company asserts that content violating its policies is removed from both versions equally.

Despite TikTok’s claims, the report suggests that tech platforms often neglect non-Western users due to less stringent regulatory environments. Mozilla Fellow Odanga Madung, based in Kenya, pointed out that while different versions of apps are acceptable, the safety guidelines should be consistent globally.

TikTok’s Response

TikTok responded to the report by asserting that it contains several factual inaccuracies and misrepresents their approach to safety. A spokesperson for TikTok asserted that they remove content violating their rules from TikTok Lite in the same manner as they do from the main app, and they have implemented numerous safety features.

The company also mentioned that the reduced descriptions are a bug they are working to fix and that TikTok Lite is not available in France and Spain, contrary to some claims in the report. In April, a different version of TikTok Lite faced scrutiny from European regulators, leading to the voluntary suspension of its reward programme amid concerns.

Conclusion

The report by Mozilla and AI Forensics underscores the need for consistent safety standards across all versions of social media apps, regardless of the region. As TikTok continues to expand its global reach, ensuring the safety of all users, especially in developing countries, should be a priority. The findings call for greater transparency and accountability from tech platforms to protect users worldwide.

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