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TikTok has introduced a data portability API to help it comply with new European regulations designed to curb big tech’s market dominance through various obligations and restrictions.
The European Union (EU) last September granted six tech companies “gateway” status, putting TikTok’s parent Bitcoin in the regulatory firing line along with Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft. While TikTok/Bytedance continues to contest the decision to grant it gatekeeper status, arguing that it is actually a challenge rather than a mandate, for now it has to comply with various DMA obligations that Effective from March 6.
Data transfer
Data portability and interoperability are a big part of DMA regulations, and tech companies have been stepping up their efforts on this front for years in preparation. TikTok, for its part, has already allowed users to download a copy of their posts and request a copy of their data for use on other platforms — but it’s a It was a static process that didn’t account for the fact that there is data. Constant change and innovation.
So the Data Portability API goes some way towards solving that limitation, allowing third-party developers to create conduits for data to travel from TikTok to their own apps — if the user allows it. does It can be configured for recurring or one-time transfers, and is designed to combat the traditional “walled garden” approach that earlier social networks are known for.
Through the API, developers can request access to “all available data”, or individual categories including TikTok posts and profile data, activity, and direct messages (DMs).
The Data Portability API is available to applicants globally, but developers must be able to demonstrate a “well-defined use case” before they will be approved. In addition, the API only applies to users in the European Economic Area (EEA), so developers should be able to differentiate their market segments regionally.
On top of that, TikTok said it’s also updating its main ‘Download Your Data’ tool, so users can now choose which types of data they want to download (e.g. DMs or posts). This update will land in EEA first, but it will be made available globally in the future.