TikTok will add specific STEM feed with math, engineering content, amid recent restrictions
LOS ANGELES - TikTok has announced it is adding an additional feed where users can watch exclusively silence, tech, engineering, and math content.
The new STEM feed will live alongside the existing feeds Following and For You and will generate for users seeking that specific type of content.
"These education-based communities already thrive across TikTok. In fact, STEM-related hashtags have received over 110 billion views to date, connecting a dynamic community of people over shared interests. We designed the STEM feed to serve as a destination for those looking to dive into these enriching topics further. Whether encouraging aspiring scientists to work out experiments in comments sections or helping a new programmer learn to code, the STEM feed provides a space for co-learning, inspiration, and enrichment," TikTok wrote on its website.
Common Sense Networks will assess all content to insure it is appropriate for the new STEM feed.
"We look forward to supporting TikTok’s STEM initiative through this alliance. By leveraging Common Sense Networks' singular expertise in content evaluation, we can ensure that these digital experiences for teens will be valuable, educational, and entertaining," said Eric Berger, Common Sense Networks CEO.
The news follows China appealing Friday to other governments to treat its companies fairly after Britain and New Zealand joined the United States in restricting use of TikTok due to fears the Chinese-owned short video service might be a security risk.
Governments are worried TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, might give browsing history or other data about users to China’s government or promote propaganda and disinformation.
"We call on the countries concerned to recognize the objective facts, effectively respect the market economy" and provide "a non-discriminatory environment" for all companies, said foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.
TikTok is one focus of conflicts between China and other governments over technology and security that are disrupting processor chip, smartphone and other industries.
Legislators and employees in New Zealand’s Parliament will be prohibited from having TikTok ’s app on phones, the government said Friday. Britain announced a ban Thursday on TikTok on all government phones.
US threatens TikTok ban: What's the impact on influencers & content creators? | LiveNOW from FOX
The Biden administration has demanded TikTok's Chinese owners divest their stakes in the app or face a possible ban, according to a report. The move, reported by The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter, is the most dramatic in a series of recent steps by U.S. officials and legislators who have raised fears that TikTok's U.S. user data could be passed on to China's government. ByteDance-owned TikTok has more than 100 million U.S. users. FOX 5 New York's Kendall Green and Politico reporter Brendan Bordelon join LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss what a ban could mean for businesses, influencers and other users of the app. More LiveNOW from FOX streaming video
In February, the White House told federal agencies to delete TikTok from government-issued mobile devices within 30 days. Congress, the U.S. armed forces and more than half of American state governments prohibit use of the app by their employees.
India has banned TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the WeChat message service, on security and privacy grounds.
The United States also has imposed restrictions on access by Chinese companies to processor chip and other technology on security and human rights grounds.
The Chinese government accused Washington of spreading false information about TikTok following a report by The Wall Street Journal that U.S. authorities were considering a ban if ByteDance doesn’t sell the company.
The ruling Communist Party blocks most internet users in China from seeing TikTok and thousands of social media and other websites. ByteDance operates a sister short-video service, Douyin, that can be seen in China.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.