By Cormac Keenan, Trust and Safety, EMEA

At TikTok, we're focused on providing our community with a platform that provides a joyful, creative, and above all, safe experience.

In March, we set out our commitment to promoting and supporting the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Today, we're announcing that TikTok has joined the WePROTECT Global Alliance, the largest and most diverse multi-sector alliance dedicated to ending online child sexual exploitation.

Our membership reflects both TikTok’s zero tolerance of child sexual exploitation and the fact that this is a universal challenge that requires a collective response. Through our engagement with the WePROTECT Global Alliance, we will work collaboratively with industry partners, NGOs, academics, and governments to identify, implement and, critically, share innovative solutions to better protect children online.

Any instance of child sexual exploitation is one too many.  As an industry, it is essential we come together to tackle this harm. Our membership of the WeProtect Global Alliance is an additional opportunity to collaborate, learn and share best practice with our peers and to make critical progress towards our common goal of ending online child sexual abuse.

"Tragically, advancements in technology mean it has never been easier for those who want to sexually exploit children to make contact with potential victims. Industry collaboration is vital and we look forward to working with TikTok and other industry partners towards our common goal of ending the sexual exploitation of children online. During our conversations with TikTok we’ve been struck by the platform’s genuine commitment to prioritising the safety of its youngest users and the recent decision to restrict under-16s’ access to its Direct Messaging feature is one example of its willingness to put child safety first." Iain Drennan, Executive Director, WeProtect Global Alliance

About WePROTECT Global Alliance

Online child sexual exploitation cannot be dealt with by any one country, company or organisation working in isolation and instead demands a coordinated global response. The WePROTECT Global Alliance is that response: an independent global coalition of 97 countries, 32 technology companies and 33 civil society organisations working to put the sexual exploitation of children online on the global agenda and mobilise an international campaign to end it. We do this through:

1) Advocacy - to ensure decision-makers take action through empowering children, victims and survivors;

2) Knowledge - to be the definite source of knowledge on threat and response;

3) Collaboration- to forge new networks and drive collaboration for a truly global response.