TikTok launches new privacy campaign, teams up with leading regional creators

The campaign follows a series of safety enhancements made on the platform. (Supplied)
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Updated 19 October 2021
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TikTok launches new privacy campaign, teams up with leading regional creators

  • TikTok’s #PrivacyMatters campaign partners with regional content creators to showcase the importance of privacy

DUBAI: Short-form video app TikTok has launched its latest campaign, #PrivacyMatters, focusing on digital privacy.

Through a partnership with prominent regional creators, the platform has created a series of educational short films featuring real-life scenarios that demonstrate how users can control their privacy online. The creators include Hadeel Marei, Twinzy’s Abdullah and Noor, Abeer Sinder, Zainab Al-Eqabi, Faris Al-Khalidi, and Nadin Smaili, together reaching over 3 million users.

The campaign 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.

“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,” said Hany Kamel, content operations director at TikTok, Middle East and North Africa.

In the MENA region, online users spend an average of 90 minutes every day consuming short-form content, making up 15 percent of total time spent by users on media platforms across the region, according to management consultancy RedSeer. As users spend more and more time in the digital space, sharing and over-sharing personal details of their lives, privacy is more important than ever before.

Kamel added: “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.”

In addition to its Community Guidelines, TikTok has dedicated privacy controls that each user can customize as per their preferences, including making their account private, controlling comments and messages, managing screen time, using restricted mode to curate their feed, and limiting duets to control who can duet their content.


WhatsApp says Russia ‘attempted to fully block’ app

Updated 12 February 2026
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WhatsApp says Russia ‘attempted to fully block’ app

  • Moscow has been trying to nudge Russians to use a more tightly controlled domestic online service

SAN FRANCISCO, United States: WhatsApp said Wednesday that Russia “attempted to fully block” the messaging app in the country to push users to a competing state-controlled service, potentially affecting 100 million people.
Moscow has been trying to nudge Russians to use a more tightly controlled domestic online service.
It has threatened a host of Internet platforms with forced slowdowns or outright bans if they do not comply with Russian laws, including those requiring data on Russian users to be stored inside the country.
“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” WhatsApp posted on X.
“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia,” WhatsApp added.
“We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”
Critics and rights campaigners say the Russian restrictions are a transparent attempt by the Kremlin to ramp up control and surveillance over Internet use in Russia, amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent during the Ukraine offensive.
That latest developments came after Russia’s Internet watchdog said Tuesday it would slap “phased restrictions” on the Telegram messaging platform, which it said had not complied with the laws.