Should TikTok consult experts or external organizations when moderating trends? Why or why not?

Yes, TikTok should consider consulting experts or external organizations when moderating trends, especially when dealing with complex issues that require specialized knowledge or perspectives. Here are several reasons why consulting experts could be beneficial:

1. **Specialized Knowledge**: Experts bring specialized knowledge in areas such as cultural sensitivity, mental health, child safety, and legal considerations. Their insights can help TikTok make informed decisions that align with best practices and industry standards.

2. **Diverse Perspectives**: External organizations often represent diverse perspectives and communities. Consulting with them ensures that TikTok considers a wide range of viewpoints when addressing sensitive or controversial trends.

3. **Policy Development**: Experts can provide guidance in developing and refining trend moderation policies. This collaboration helps TikTok create policies that are robust, fair, and adaptable to evolving trends and user behaviors.

4. **Ensuring Accuracy**: Experts can contribute to accurate and nuanced understanding of trends and their potential impact. This helps TikTok avoid misinterpretations or misjudgments when moderating content that may have cultural, social, or psychological implications.

5. **Building Trust**: Consulting with reputable experts and organizations enhances transparency and builds trust with TikTok's user community. Users are more likely to trust moderation decisions when they know they are informed by credible external advice.

6. **Legal and Regulatory Compliance**: Experts can provide guidance on legal and regulatory requirements related to content moderation, helping TikTok navigate complex legal landscapes across different regions and jurisdictions.

### Considerations for Consulting Experts:

- **Expertise Relevance**: Ensure that experts consulted have relevant expertise and experience related to the specific issues or trends being moderated.

- **Diverse Representation**: Seek input from a diverse range of experts to reflect different cultural, social, and professional backgrounds.

- **Collaborative Approach**: Foster collaboration between TikTok's internal moderation teams and external experts to leverage collective knowledge and insights.

- **Confidentiality and Privacy**: Respect confidentiality and privacy concerns when sharing information or seeking advice from external experts.

By leveraging the expertise and perspectives of external organizations and experts, TikTok can enhance its capability to moderate trends effectively, responsibly, and in alignment with user expectations and community standards.