TikTok

TikTok opens its new research software to researchers in Europe for transparency push

Before new EU laws forcing Big Tech to do more to monitor online material come into effect, the short-video app TikTok on Thursday made its research software available to researchers in Europe.

One of 19 online platforms and search engines subject to stricter regulations that take effect in August under the Digital Services Act (DSA) is TikTok, which Chinese technology giant ByteDance owns.

The business claimed it had chosen to move on while still waiting for the European Commission to provide the technical requirements for the application programming interface (API) that would be used to access its data.

"TikTok is proactively rolling out its Research API ahead of further technical guidance and launching a commercial content library ahead of the DSA compliance deadline," the social networking application stated.

"All researchers must have their own TikTok for Developers accounts and be located in the United States or Europe to access our Research API."

Earlier this year, the business made the first iteration of its Research API available to American university researchers.

On Thursday, 19 June, TikTok made its commercial content API available to academics.

The firm opened its available database to comply with DSA regulations on openness in paid advertising, including details on paid advertisements and ad metadata.