TikTok's Irish data center up and running as European privacy project gets under way

Tiktok announced on Tuesday that it has initiated operations at the first of its three European data centers, as part of its proactive measures to alleviate Western concerns regarding privacy risks.

The popular video-sharing app has commenced the process of transferring European user data to a data center located in Dublin. Additionally, TikTok has confirmed that two more data centers, one in Ireland and another in Norway, are currently under construction, as part of its ongoing commitment to localize European user data, known as Project Clover.

TikTok has faced heightened scrutiny from European and American regulatory bodies due to apprehensions surrounding the potential exposure of sensitive user data to China. It's worth noting that TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that relocated its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.

Earlier this year, TikTok unveiled its strategy to store user data within Europe, where stringent privacy laws are in place. This move was prompted by a series of bans imposed by Western governments on the app's use on official devices.

Overseeing this crucial project is NCC Group, a British cybersecurity firm, as confirmed by TikTok's Vice President of Public Policy for Europe, Theo Bertram, in a recent blog post.

NCC Group's responsibilities include monitoring data traffic to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to specific data types. They will also conduct real-time monitoring to identify and respond promptly to any suspicious access attempts.

Bertram emphasized, "All of these controls and operations have been meticulously designed to safeguard the data of our European users within a dedicated protective environment. Access will be granted solely to approved employees, subject to rigorous independent oversight and verification."