Dr. Theo Bertram:

On behalf of TikTok, I thank the Chair and members of the committee for inviting us to attend. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide feedback to the committee on the general scheme of the Bill and I am happy to answer questions on any topics members may choose. I am sorry that I cannot be there today in person. It may not sound like it, but I am an Irish citizen thanks to my mum. I have many fond memories of travelling to Dublin, not so much of the ferry crossing, but once I got there I always loved it. Having worked in tech for the last decade or so, I am also proud that Dublin has become one of the most important global destinations for digital industry. As the director of government relations and public policy for Europe for TikTok, I am very pleased that Dublin is a major global hub for our business.

For those who are not familiar with TikTok, it is a global, short-form video platform that provides its users with a vibrant, creative experience in a fun and safe environment. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. Since beginning our journey in Ireland, we have gone from strength to strength. Our Europe, the Middle East and Africa, EMEA, Trust & Safety Hub established in Dublin in 2020 is led by Cormac Keenan, with many senior global leaders based here. The hub is designed to enhance TikTok's localised approach to content policy while also supporting our ongoing objective to put safety at the heart of all that we do. Members of the committee may have noted our recent announcement about our European transparency and accountability centre being based in Ireland, which will allow experts and policymakers like the committee members to come and see at first hand how we moderate and deliver content. At least one committee member has been to our transparency centre in the US, at least virtually. We also have a data privacy team based in Dublin, which is overseen by the Irish Data Protection Commission. TikTok has hired more than 1,000 people in the past year, bringing its total headcount in Ireland to more than 1,100. Our ambition is to continue growing. We have also announced our intention to establish a data centre in Ireland. This will involve a further $500 million investment that will create hundreds of jobs.

TikTok is dedicated to protecting its users from misinformation and disinformation on the platform. In fact, we were one of the first platforms to create a Covid information hub dedicated to disseminating information from the WHO, and we are actively working with the Irish Government and Irish health authorities to build awareness of the importance of vaccines in the fight against Covid-19.

Youth empowerment and education is a huge focus for us, and our youth portal is a place where teens and parents can build their digital literacy skills as part of the growing TikTok community. TikTok is also the lead sponsor of this year's St Patrick's Festival and we are contributing €500,000 to various community aspects to this year's campaign to support local artists and live events.

Ensuring a safe online experience is of paramount importance at TikTok. Our platform is designed to inspire creativity and joy, and we know people are at their most creative when they feel safe, and that is why we support the objectives of the draft legislation. TikTok welcomes a systemic approach to regulation, one that looks at systems and processes rather than individual pieces of content.

TikTok is also encouraged by the commitment in the general scheme of the Bill to a proportionate, consistent and fair approach that recognises the different nature of regulated services and the rapidly evolving technological environment. There is an important balance between online safety and protecting fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, and the enshrinement of democratic values within the proposed media commission's constitution is a positive step in that respect, helping to strike the right balance. I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss these issues today and I look forward to answering any questions.