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Recently, Identity Magazine and TikTok have joined forces to launch a new challenge and of course a filter/hashtag that garnered more than 48m users on the short-form video application, most popular around the world. The challenge revolved around making content creators and users generally feel like stars on the cover of the magazine, inspired by the dreams of many. The challenge has also carried a sense of fashion, which by the way has been giving more attention recently than ever. By digging more into this, we have found out that TikTok has been dedicating efforts to create a better platform for self-expression not only in the field of fashion but also in various fields tackling many preferences. 58 October 2020

If you have been curious as we are about what TikTok is recently doing to create an alternative entertainment hub for its users, check the below interview with their Content Operation Director For North Africa, Hany Kamel, where he takes us through TikTok’s journey to become Egypt’s most popular and visited application this year. How do you see the latest collaboration with Identity Magazine?

TikTok always seeks to collaborate with more established entities in different fields and Identity Magazine has been around long to become a wellknown destination for news related to everyday

lives as well as light content that has gained the magazine wide popularity. The magazine has always supported the fashion industry and the creative scene, which has made it a perfect match for our recent challenge that enables our users to be featured on the cover of the magazine through a filter. This embodies a perfect collaboration when the digital realm meets reality and manages to entertain people in the right way. Why fashion specifically you choose to focus on in your recent hashtags/challenged and what are the other fields you focus on? TikTok is aiming to provide an environment that helps its users express themselves freely. We also aim to provide an alternative platform for the users to entertain themselves at times when it was not an option in reality and even now when the digital is managing to offer more options than ever. The fashion industry has been among the most affected recently, and we have seen a lot of potential in contributing to digitally transform it. We have launched several challenges and hashtags that promote fashion and fashion-related content across our platforms such as FashionTok, which has managed to bring in more than 220 million contributors and viewers who are passionate about fashion.

Moreover, TikTok has constantly rolled out challenges for styling, which has brought much fashion bloggers and content creators to the front, offering them space for expression and exposure. We are also into promoting sports and the arts and we already launched many challenges and initiatives that promote the content creators in these areas by offering them a space for expression and decent exposure to talent acquisition agencies. Why does TikTok seek to collaborate with entities such as the UN as well as leading media platforms?

As a world-leading platform that works in many societies around the globe, TikTok constantly looks into finding more ways to be more impactful to those communities through partnering with leading entities that pioneer in the field of social services. The UN institutions have always had unmatched efforts in this context, hence making them the best option for our strategic vision to contribute to society. Last Ramadan, we managed to support the UNCHR in the MENA region by aiding in securing EGP 3 Million for the refugees in the Arab countries. Furthermore, we managed to secure more than 200,000 USD for the UNICEF to support the children in need in the region as well, through the hashtag #joyofgiving. On the local level, we seek to collaborate with entities that reach the most vulnerable segments of society. In Egypt for example, we collaborated with the Egyptian Clothing Bank to enable our users to donate new clothes to the less able families during Bairam. Additionally, we have contributed to the distribution of hot meals in Ramadan through our collaboration with the Egyptian Food Bank and the hashtag #cookfromhome that featured leading celebrity chefs and foodies. What are your goals for the development of the environment of the platform?

TikTok aims at providing its users with safe and positive environment where they can express themselves openly and respect each other. Recently, we have been relentlessly working on developing our Community Guidelines and Terms of Usage on the platform stems to unify the behavior and ensure the safety of everyone. We have also been keen on launching initiatives that encourage improving one’s digital footprint such as #practicethepause and #مسئول خليك that promoted positive values and expels bullying. What kind of content you encourage and how do you contribute to the enhancement of this content and the best use of the platform?

TikTok encourages all positive content that expresses uniqueness and individualism and shows the talents and skills of its creator. We also encourage the content that corresponds to community guidelines that we have developed for an enhanced environment on the application. In order to ensure content is aligned with our guidelines, we constantly develop tools and mechanisms that help monitor and review the contributions of the users, to be able to act accordingly if there is any content that goes against the ideal usage of the platform. We also make sure our users are enabled and empowered with the needed tools and resources that ensure their safety and management to report misconduct and ill-behavior on the platform is there are any. October 2020 59