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TikTok Lite , a low - bandwidth version of the video political program popular across Africa , Asia and Latin America , is expose users to harmful content because of its lack of safety feature film compared to the flagship rendering of the app , grant to a newreportfrom Mozilla .
The researchers said that TikTok Lite Save Data lacked “ proactive user manipulate at their disposal , ” such as the ability to filter offensive content and undesirable keywords , as well as tools to assist lessen app dependance ( the main app hasrolled outscreen time and other restraint ) . They also found that TikTok Lite failed to provide warning labels or banners for content likely to induce harm , such as dangerous prank videos or “ challenge , ” election misinformation and AI - yield content .
TikTok dismissed the findings , saying : “ There are several factual inaccuracies in this report which basically misrepresent our approach to guard . The fact is content that breaks our rules is removed from TikTok Lite the same manner as our independent app and we extend numerous safety feature article which we would have explained if Mozilla asked us before publishing their reputation . ”
Mozilla said it present their evidence to TikTok but it declined to answer .
“ So far they ( TikTok ) have not refute any of the evidence that has been exhibit , ” said Odanga Madung , the research worker at Mozilla who led the investigation .
The report underscores one of the more stark disparity around how big technology companies work around the world . While they have face growing regulative examination in get markets like the U.S. and Europe , that has not equally been the face in emerging mart where regulator have less oversight .
A case in point : TikToksuspendeda gamification boast in a variation of TikTok Lite launch in Europe before this yr after EU regulators determined that it was addictive and harmful . The “ Save Data ” version that has been rolled out across emerging market has not met with similar responses .
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“ TikTok ’s ‘ bite - sizing ’ Lite app is a safety gadget hazard for more than one billion of its user , ” say Madung . “ It ’s the equivalent of remove fundament belts and airbags from a machine and then sell it to an unsuspicious customer . ”
Madung add that it appeared that TikTok sacrifice prophylactic features in the Lite app “ to bring down the app ’s required bandwidth . ”
As with “ lite ” versions of Facebook , Instagram , and X , the Android - only TikTok Lite is unavailable in the U.S. and the absolute majority of Europe . Rather , it targets users in go forth markets where mobile data point can be prohibitively expensive , the majority of phones may be more basic , and web coverage may be more patchy . pop in countries across Africa , Asia and Latin America , it has been download more than 1 billion times since launching in 2018,according to Sensor Towerdata .
The researchers receive that lack of safety feature on the low-cal app was in dispute of TikTok ’s own policy onDangerous Acts and Activity , which say that the company does not allow “ usher or further serious activity and challenges . ”
TikTok ’s want of user protection is deliberate , the researchers lay claim , since the condom guardrail can be integrated without increase its sizing .
“ The guard have TikTok Lite lacks are n’t complex and are absolutely compatible with a lower - bandwidth app , ” said Claudio Agosti , co - founding father of AI Forensics , which collaborated with Mozilla on the study . “ TikTok ’s decision to ignore these safety measures is clearly a choice , not a technical necessity . ”
