Will help creators in India till interim ban in place: TikTok CEO

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer on Wednesday said that the company is working with various stakeholders to address the concerns raised by the Indian government, and remain committed to support the welfare of TikTok creator community till the interim ban order is in effect.

Mayer, who is also the COO of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, said that their creator managers are actively engaging with top creators to reassure them of their efforts and updates about the path forward.

"Our platform has encountered an unfortunate challenge in India. However, we stay resolved and committed to our mission, and are working with stakeholders to address their concerns," Mayer said in a message addressed to about 2,000 TikTok employees in India.

"TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and places the highest importance on user privacy and integrity," he added.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators and internet service providers to block access to all the 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, banned by the government with immediate effect.

DoT has asked all the service players to comply with the order and submit compliance reports.

Mayer said that since 2018, the company has worked hard to ensure that over 200 million users in India are able to express their joy and creativity, celebrate self-expression, and share experiences with a growing global community.

"TikTok has enabled hundreds of millions of users to enjoy the creative works of artists, storytellers, educators and performers from across the country who have forged new avenues of livelihood improvement," he stressed.

After the ban came into force, the Chinese short-video making app said it was in the process of complying with the Indian government order.

Nikhil Gandhi, Head of TikTok India, said that the company has been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications.

According to Mayer, the creator community is what defines us and we take pride in the diversity of the creators on our platform.

"Our daily audience of millions of users in India have come to rely on the joy and inspiration that TikTok provides every day in a unique and democratized environment," he said.

The Centre on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community over national security concerns as India-China bilateral relations remain strained after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops in eastern Ladakh.