TikTok Promotes Safety in Advertising Approach
TikTok's Growing Influence in Thailand and Southeast Asia
TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, has seen a massive surge in user numbers across Southeast Asia, with over 50 million users in Thailand alone. This places the country as the third-largest market for the platform in the region. According to a report by We Are Social, a marketing agency focused on social media trends, Thailand ranks ninth globally in terms of advertising reach on TikTok.
With over 1 billion active users worldwide, TikTok continues to expand its influence, emphasizing its role as a "safe zone" for users. The platform has developed strategies aimed at ensuring both safety and revenue growth, making it an attractive option for advertisers and creators alike.
Building a Trusted Environment
TikTok has made transparency and accountability central to its operations, aiming to foster trust within its community. The platform is committed to being open about how it moderates content, recommends videos, and empowers users. It also focuses on securing its platform against harmful or misleading content.
KahnJi Siriprapha Weerachaising, outreach and partnerships manager at TikTok, highlighted the importance of a safe environment in boosting ad revenue. She explained that creating a trusted space helps attract premium advertisers and increases user engagement.
To support this, TikTok has established Transparency and Accountability Centers (TACs) around the world. These centers showcase how the platform uses both artificial intelligence and human reviewers to moderate content. They also demonstrate the safety protocols and algorithms that govern content visibility.
The TACs implement proactive security measures, transparent communication, and features that empower vulnerable groups such as young users. Invited guests can gain insights into how TikTok keeps its platform safe, learn about its product features, and understand the community of creators who contribute to the platform.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, currently operates four TACs in Dublin, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Singapore, with a combined staff of 40,000 employees.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, TikTok blocked and removed a total of 175 million videos globally, with 4.3 million of those being registered in Thailand. Approximately 99% of these violations were addressed by automated tools, according to KahnJi.
Users who violate TikTok’s community guidelines may face temporary restrictions (24-48 hours) or permanent bans, depending on the severity and frequency of the violation.
Attracting New Users
TikTok initially gained traction by focusing on an entertaining video format tailored for younger audiences, particularly those aged 18-24. Its algorithm personalizes content recommendations based on factors like location, language, gender, and age, prioritizing engagement over follower counts.
This approach allows new users to gain visibility quickly, ensuring a customized experience. The algorithm analyzes thousands of signals from each user to determine what kind of content they might enjoy. These signals include likes, comments, follows, and the amount of time spent watching a particular video.
KahnJi noted that Gen Z is the most likely demographic to watch videos on social media. To encourage balanced digital habits, TikTok imposes a default 60-minute daily screen time limit for users under 18. Once this limit is reached, teens must enter a passcode to continue using the app, while users under 13 require a parent to set this code.
The Rise of TikTok
Launched in 2016, TikTok experienced rapid growth during the pandemic, which acted as a catalyst for a massive surge in users, downloads, and in-app engagement. Before 2020, the platform was already gaining momentum, but lockdowns and isolation accelerated its global expansion.
Today, TikTok has more than 1 billion users worldwide, with 460 million of them located in Southeast Asia. Indonesia leads the region with over 160 million users, followed by Vietnam with 70 million and Thailand with 50 million, according to a company report.
The platform is especially popular among younger demographics, with Gen Z (ages 18-24) and Millennials (ages 25-34) forming the largest user groups. Roughly 55% of TikTok users are under 30.
TikTok has also become a major player in social commerce in Thailand, with over 5 million TikTok Shop accounts and 3 million affiliate creators. Thai users are among the most engaged globally, frequently watching influencer content and participating in trend-driven, short-form video consumption.
According to the Digital 2025: July Statshot report, Southeast Asia accounts for nearly one-quarter of TikTok’s global advertising audience, making it the largest ad-viewer base. Southeast Asian internet users watch more online video content weekly than the global average of 11 hours and 39 minutes, as reported by We Are Social.
Social media and influencer marketing play a crucial role in the region, where consumers are highly active across multiple platforms for research and brand engagement.
