UK adults spending a quarter of their lives online, Ofcom figures show
UK adults are now spending more than a quarter of their waking lives online thanks to the coronavirus lockdown, a new study by Ofcom says.
TikTok
Empty seats at Donald Trump rally ‘down to TikTok users and K-pop fans’
Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Oklahoma was hit by a lower-than-expected attendance because of teenagers on TikTok and fans of Korean pop music, it has been claimed.
TikTok enlists Rachel Riley and English Heritage for education drive
TikTok is launching a new education initiative with the likes of Rachel Riley and English Heritage to help teach maths and provide facts about the country’s history.
Dame Judi Dench: I’m not allowed any time off from TikTok rehearsals
Dame Judi Dench has said she is “not allowed any time off” from rehearsing for TikTok videos with her grandson.
TikTok adds donation stickers to help charities raise funds during pandemic
TikTok is introducing donation stickers to the video sharing platform in a bid to support coronavirus fundraising efforts.
TikTok donates £5m to Royal College of Nursing fund
TikTok has donated £5 million to a nursing fund supporting frontline health workers during the coronavirus outbreak.
TikTok adds minimum age requirement to direct messages
TikTok has introduced a minimum age requirement of 16 to use its direct messaging feature.
Vanessa Hudgens apologises for ‘insensitive’ coronavirus comments
Actress Vanessa Hudgens has apologised for suggesting the US response to the Covid-19 pandemic was overblown.
Courteney Cox baffles Matthew Perry with new TikTok dance challenge
Courteney Cox left her Friends co-star Matthew Perry puzzled as she returned to TikTok with a new dance routine.
Internet leaders failing to protect children from abuse, inquiry finds
Technology giants and social media firms have “failed” in attempts to prevent access to child sex abuse images, allowing for “an explosion in online-facilitated” crimes against children, an inquiry has found.
UK and allies agree new principles with tech firms around online child safety
A blueprint for keeping children safe on the internet, created by a collection of governments, has been unveiled and endorsed by major technology companies.
TikTok introduces new safety features
TikTok has announced new safety features which will allow parents to control the content their children see on the platform.
Facebook holds out against pressure to ban political ads
Facebook continues to resist pressure to ban political ads and said it will not limit targeting like tech rival Google.
TikTok fixes vulnerabilities allowing attackers to take control of user videos
Vulnerabilities in TikTok which could allow hackers to manipulate content on user accounts have been fixed after they were revealed by security researchers.
From Libra to TikTok: Ones to watch in tech for 2020
Technology looks set to transform the world we live in further in 2020, as policies develop and new players make their mark.
Data regulator hones in on TikTok as it makes child safety top priority for 2020
Protecting children’s privacy will be top priority for the UK’s data regulator in 2020 amid increased concern about platforms such as TikTok, the Information Commissioner has said.
TikTok admits early anti-bullying efforts were ‘blunt’ and ‘wrong’
TikTok has admitted it was “wrong” to reduce the visibility of disabled, overweight and LGBTQ+ users on its platform in its early days in an effort to tackle bullying.
TikTok raises age limit for paid virtual gifts in bid to prevent misuse
TikTok is increasing the minimum age at which people are allowed to send and receive paid virtual gifts to 18 in an attempt to protect children from misuse.
US ‘launches review of China-owned video app TikTok’
The US government has launched a national-security review of the China-owned video app TikTok, according to reports.
TikTok responds to claims of Chinese influence
Video sharing app TikTok has denied claims that it removes content sensitive to China, in response to growing national security fears in the US.
TikTok bans paid political adverts
TikTok has decided not to allow paid political adverts on its platform, as the 2020 US election fast approaches.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is the latest video-sharing app attracting millions of people worldwide – but it’s not without its share of controversy.