Building on initiatives made to enhance and promote safety online over the past 18 months, TikTok is placing a spotlight on digital privacy through its #PrivacyMatters campaign in partnership with leading regional content creators. Through educational short films featuring real-life scenarios, the creators aim to inspire users to take charge of their digital privacy through comprehensive safety features. The campaign, which is now live, follows a series of safety enhancements made on the platform including the introduction of Family Pairing, the enhancement of filtering capabilities, and the launch of tools to combat bullying.

In the digital age of sharing everything from daily inspiration, outfit choices, creative challenges, family memories, and more, it is important to ensure digital privacy is at the forefront of a positive online experience. Given the time spent in the digital space, privacy here is as significant as privacy in the real world, increasingly seen to contribute towards sound mental health.The MENA region alone sees average daily online consumption topping five hours daily, of which 90 minutes are spent enjoying short-form content. Despite the growing love for content and celebration of creativity, the call for privacy measures is imperative, delivered on by TikTok through a series of personalized measures.

For its #PrivacyMatters campaign, the platform teamed up with some of its biggest content creators in the region, including Hadeel Marei, Twinzy’s Abdullah and Noor, Abeer Sinder, Zainab Aleqabi, Faris Al-Khalidi, and Nadin Smaili, reaching together over a whopping three million users, to highlight the importance of privacy through a series of short films. The videos combine the relatability of real-life scenarios with emotional appeal, to drive home the message that users are in complete control over their online experience. Through the scenes set, viewers are walked through real-life examples of how privacy can be violated, such as fencing unwanted fashion advice, limiting conversations to stay within a known circle, or enjoying one’s downtime on their own. Each scenario then highlights how the same experiences can be faced digitally, while showcasing how users can tailor settings to create content in a positive environment.

Hany Kamel, Content Operations Director at TikTok MENA, said in a statement, “While we celebrate the creativity and expression that is seen in abundance on the platform, we have an inherent understanding of the important role privacy plays in the digital experience. At TikTok, we see safety as a job that is never complete, and consistently look for ways in which to further bolster our existing privacy, safety, and engagement protection measures. As we update our offering, we will also continue to creatively communicate these changes to our community, to ensure everyone is aware of the ways in which they can keep themselves and their content safe on the platform.”

At the very base of all privacy efforts are the strong community guidelines, which act as the ‘north star’ of the platform. Adding to this are the dedicated privacy controls, customizable to each user, including:

• Private accounts: Only followers can view a user’s content
• Comment controls: Helps filter out unwanted interactions
• Messaging controls: Restricts or disables in-app messaging
• Screen time management: Offers a sense of balance to the serial-scrollers
• Restricted mode: Curates a feed tailored to an individual’s preference
• Limiting duets: Gives control over who can duet your content

To find out more about the privacy settings and how these can be personalized, check out the dedicated privacy information section on the Safety Center.