TikTok has shared its newest EU content material enforcement and utilization numbers, as a part of its DSA disclosure reporting, which supplies us some extra perspective on the way it’s rising, and the way its moderation strategy is evolving within the area.
The newest report covers the interval between January and June 2025, and is the platform’s fifth DSA report. And whereas lots of the data is consistent with earlier developments, there are some factors of be aware.
First off, on whole viewers numbers, and TikTok’s progress within the EU market. As per the beneath information, TikTok’s EU viewers has elevated 25% since September 2023, with regular rises in all EU markets.
Nicely, all besides Estonia, the place TikTok doesn’t appear to be gaining traction, whereas it’s additionally seen slower adoption in Sweden (+12% since 2023), Denmark (+15%) and The Netherlands (+17%).
However total, TikTok is increasing its EU attain, and is now as much as 170 million whole European customers.
For broader context, that signifies that TikTok presently has:
TikTok additionally reportedly has round 100 million customers in Brazil, and over 100 million in Indonesia, whereas the Chinese language native model of the app (Douyin) has roughly 700 million customers.
That offers you some perspective on the expansion and regional reputation of the app, and the market alternative for TikTok, even whether it is finally banned within the U.S.
By way of moderation and enforcement, TikTok reviews that it eliminated virtually 24.5 million items of content material within the interval for Neighborhood Tips violations, which represents a 15% improve on its final report.
Given its progress in utilization, the will increase right here in all probability make sense, although TikTok has additionally come underneath scrutiny in varied EU markets over its distribution and sexualized and dangerous content material. However the information reveals that TikTok is definitely enhancing on these fronts over time, even with fewer human moderators (we’ll get to that).
By way of youth security, TikTok is eradicating extra posts for associated violations, whereas it’s additionally taking a extra proactive strategy to psychological and behavioral well being reviews. In each areas, TikTok’s automated detection of violations has improved considerably because it started reporting these numbers.
Which is helpful, as a result of as famous, TikTok has additionally continued to cut back its human moderation employees, now down 26% since September 2023.
TikTok’s at all times reviewing its staffing, and on the lookout for AI options in detection. And clearly it’s discovering them, as a result of regardless of that discount sparsely headcount, automated detection for psychological and behavioural well being issues has elevated from 49% in 2023, to 90% now. By way of youth security and wellbeing, its automated detection is as much as 77% of violations, versus 38% in 2023.
And as you may see within the above chart, TikTok additionally eliminated 2.5 million advertisements within the interval, which is a major improve on the 1.5 million that it eliminated within the second half of final 12 months.
TikTok has put a giant emphasis on the detection of IP infringement (over 100% improve in removals), as a part of its broader in-app purchasing push, whereas it’s additionally eradicating extra advertisements for grownup and political content material as nicely (2x improve on each).
With TikTok seeking to make an even bigger push on purchasing in Europe, it is sensible that it wants to enhance its enforcement, so as to be certain that enterprise customers really feel safe in using the app. The numbers right here mirror that push.
General, the information right here demonstrates TikTok’s enhancing strategy to detection and enforcement, because it continues to increase within the EU market. And whereas there are nonetheless some notes of concern (automated detection of sexual content material in advertisements has declined), TikTok is seemingly making the correct strikes to maximise safety, regardless of lowering employees prices.
You’ll be able to try TikTok’s DSA Transparency Report for January to June 2025 right here.