Image: © Askar/Stock.adobe.com
UK-based cybersecurity firm NCC Group has been hired by TikTok to audit its data controls and protections in Europe as Project Clover manifests.
TikTok has revealed that its first data centre in Ireland as part of Project Clover is now operational in Dublin and that migration of European user data to the centre has begun.
Project Clover is the Chinese-owned platform’s attempt to update its data security practices across Europe. Part of that commitment involves storing the data of more than 150m monthly TikTok users in Europe locally across three data centres – two in Dublin and one in Norway.
Theo Bertram, vice-president of government relations and public policy for TikTok in Europe, said in a statement today (5 September) that the Dublin data centre is now operational, and that construction is underway on the other two centres in Dublin and Norway.
Bertram also said that TikTok has hired UK-based cybersecurity firm NCC Group to audit its data controls and protections as well as provide independent verification. NCC has many offices across Europe and is accredited both in the EU and the UK.
“As the independent security provider, NCC Group will monitor data coming in and out of the secure environment to independently validate that only approved employees can access limited data types,” Bertram noted.
“NCC Group will perform ongoing security assessments of the new security gateways we are building around European user data, the TikTok app, our data centres and other TikTok infrastructure.”
TikTok has been facing increasing regulatory pressure from both sides of the Atlantic. Last month, New York City became the latest in local, state and national governments to ban the app on government devices.
“Our objective scrutiny, monitoring and assurance means platform users in Europe and the UK can have confidence in the enhanced data security standards that TikTok is setting, which go above and beyond European regulatory requirements,” said Stephen Bailey, global director of privacy at NCC.
10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.
