TikTok hosts community event in Atlanta to discuss safety, business

ATLANTA – TikTok recently hosted a TikTok Sparks Community event at Sugar Baby Creamery in Atlanta.

The event featured presentations by Suzy Loftus, head of Trust and Safety for TikTok USDS; Kiley Smith, public policy manager at TikTok; and local TikTokers, including Lynda and Paul Truong of @loveandpebble, a skincare company; Glennda Baker (@glenndabaker), a local real estate agent; Josh Wikoff, CEO of @peachtreehearing, an Atlanta audiology practice; and Robert Lucas, also known as @thesweetimpact, a self-taught cake artist and baker.

The event aimed to discuss safety for users under the age of 18 and how the platform can support business growth.

TikTok boasts a user base exceeding 150 million Americans, encompassing diverse interests such as book lovers, foodies, families, and over 7 million businesses.

According to TikTok, over 40,000 “safety professionals” oversee the platform, employing a blend of technology and human moderation across more than 70 languages. They enforce over 30 community guideline policies and offer community empowerment tools like screen time limits, age-restricted livestreams, comment restrictions, and direct message controls. The company plans to invest over $2 billion into its Trust and Safety operations this year.

Local TikTok creators shared insights into how the platform has boosted their businesses. The Truongs attribute their success, including appearances on “Shark Tank” and “The Today Show,” as well as a surge in orders, to TikTok, where they launched their products in May 2023.

Glennda Baker, dubbed the “Queen of Real Estate Video,” showcases homes for sale and provides advice for buyers, sellers, and aspiring real estate agents.

Peachtree Hearing’s TikTok content, notably featuring earwax removal, has garnered surprising popularity. Dr. Wilkoff addresses topics such as hearing loss and tinnitus.

Robert Lucas, with over 3 million followers, showcases his intricate cake designs, specializing in character cakes and offering step-by-step tutorials.

TikTok says there are 5.4 million people and 300,000 businesses in Georgia actively using their platform. They also claim that 91% of the small businesses in Georgia that use TikTok say their business has increased after promoting their products and services on TikTok. 

The TikTokers also discussed the potential TikTok ban in the United States. The prospect advanced significantly when House lawmakers passed a bill on Saturday, attaching the TikTok ban to funding for Ukrainian military equipment and Israeli missile defense. If signed into law, the bill would give TikTok 270 days to find a new owner.

RELATED: Potential U.S. TikTok ban has metro Atlanta content creators concerned 

TikTok, owned by ByteDance, operates from headquarters in Los Angeles and Singapore, with 13 offices in the U.S. and nearly 7,000 U.S. employees.