According to a recent report, TikTok, the widely popular app owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, is hindering research into its impact on users’ mental health and its alleged role in spreading misinformation. The app is now requiring academics to submit their research reports before publication in academic journals. Additionally, TikTok limits researchers’ review time and has the authority to demand the deletion of any data used in studies. These restrictions have been implemented as TikTok prepares to grant researchers access to its data, with nearly 90 million users in the US.
TikTok’s terms of service state, “TikTok may monitor your use of the Services and the Research at any time and without notice…to ensure compliance with these Research API Terms.” Experts have noted that TikTok’s terms are more restrictive than competitors like YouTube and X, which raises concerns about pre-publication review. Libby Hemphill, director of the Social Media Archive at the University of Michigan, expressed reservations about TikTok’s terms of service, while Ben Serrette, associate director of information technology at Indiana University’s Observatory on Social Media, highlighted that some data remains undisclosed. For instance, researchers cannot access friend lists or determine if a TikTok video is part of a stitch (similar to a repost).
Researchers are eager to study TikTok’s application programming interface (API) to assess its impact on user behavior and the spread of misinformation. TikTok has faced calls for a ban in the US due to concerns about Chinese government access to American user data. However, both TikTok and ByteDance deny any security threat.
The Post has reached out to TikTok and ByteDance for comment. A TikTok spokesperson assured Bloomberg that the company is committed to working with the research community and supporting independent research. TikTok aims to provide transparency to its content while responsibly rolling out its API to protect privacy rights and ensure data is used appropriately for non-commercial purposes.
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