TikTok Becomes the Latest Member of the GSMA

TikTok joined the GSMA as a new member of the industry association. This means that its parent company ByteDance pledged to work with industry players to support the development of mobile communication technology and telecoms initiatives. TikTok said it is keen to share knowledge and provide its own insights for the benefit of the telecoms industry. It added the GSMA membership is a key milestone as the platform grows as a trusted mobile industry leader.

David Saidden, director of distribution partnerships at TikTok, said by being part of the GSMA community, it was looking to amplify innovation in the 5G space, streamlining delivery through CDN and edge infrastructure, and pioneering new modes of connectivity in evolving markets. GSMA CMO Lara Dewar highlighted TikTok’s powerful influence and massive monthly user base of over 1 billion. “TikTok has captured the world’s attention over the past few years,“ added Dewar.

TikTok’s Chinese ownership has drawn a lot of scrutiny from US regulators due to concerns about how it handles user data. FCC commissioner Brendan Carr this month called for the US government to ban the platform rather than come to an agreement that would allow it to continue operating in the country. Carr previously requested Apple and Google remove TikTok from their respective app stores.